U.S. Ambassador Confronts Cuban Officials at U.N.

The U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Mike Waltz, recounted a tense altercation with Cuban officials that nearly escalated into a physical confrontation. According to Waltz, one Cuban diplomat assaulted a member of his staff by shoving them and knocking a phone from their hand. This incident ultimately led to the diplomat’s expulsion from the United States.

Waltz attributed the expulsion decision to Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Speaking at the United Nations headquarters on October 28, 2026, Waltz explained, “The guy that we actually put on a one-way flight back to his crumbling country shoved one of my staff, slapped the phone out of his hand, was trying to bully the U.N. staff into cutting my microphone. Then, their foreign minister gets up out of his chair and rushes the podium.”

During a speech at the U.N. General Assembly, Waltz accused the Cuban government of enriching its leaders at the expense of its citizens. His accusations prompted Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla to approach the podium, seeking to interrupt Waltz’s address.

“If they’ll do that on the floor of the U.N. in front of diplomats, in front of the world, imagine what they do to these poor Cuban people behind closed doors,” Waltz remarked.

Waltz held up photos illustrating the former Cuban President Fidel Castro’s lavish lifestyle, including a private island and luxury jet, as well as the opulent possessions of current regime leaders. These included Rolex watches, luxury vacations, and yachts. Waltz stated, “They use the U.N., they try to use it to further their propaganda and blame us. We’re not going to have it, and we smacked it down, almost literally.”

To support his accusations, Waltz cited a 100-page report by Secretary Rubio titled “Cuba: The Capital of 21st Century Communism,” which alleges the Cuban government conducts espionage and influence operations in the United States. Waltz also accused the Cuban regime of exporting communism and Marxist ideology through certain leftist groups and politicians in the U.S., attributing unrest in America to decades of interaction with Havana.

He concluded with a forecast for Cuba’s political future: “I think the Cuban people will see freedom on President Trump’s watch, and I’ll just leave it at that.”