in effect
Executive Order 14380, signed January 29, 2026, declares a national emergency over the U.S. government’s stated view that Cuba poses an unusual and extraordinary threat to U.S. national security and foreign policy. It directs the creation of a tariff system targeting third-party countries that sell or supply oil to Cuba.
Effective January 30, 2026, the Commerce Department is authorized to identify any foreign country that sells or transfers oil (crude or refined petroleum) to Cuba, directly or through intermediaries. Once Commerce makes that finding, the State Department must decide whether to recommend additional import tariffs on goods from that country, and the President then decides whether to impose those tariffs and at what rate. No specific tariff rate is written into the order itself — the rate is determined case by case through this review process. The President retains authority to raise, lower, or remove tariffs if circumstances change, including if a targeted country retaliates or if Cuba takes steps to align with U.S. national security interests.
Any foreign country that supplies oil to Cuba risks having tariffs placed on its exports to the United States, meaning importers and businesses in the U.S. that buy goods from those countries could face higher costs. Cuba itself is not a direct target of the tariff mechanism (it already faces a comprehensive U.S. embargo), but Cuba’s oil suppliers — potentially including major exporters such as Russia or Venezuela — are the primary subjects of the order.