Former Obama aide on Cuba: Trump, GOP lawmakers don’t believe in freedom

by Max Greenwood - 06/18/17 1:48 PM ET

Ben Rhodes, a former White House aide who helped craft President Obama’s Cuba policy, on Sunday slammed President Trump’s decision to reverse Obama-era efforts to warm relations with Havana, saying that Trump and some GOP lawmakers “don’t believe in freedom.”

“Because a few members of Congress and President Trump don’t believe in freedom – they get to tell you where you can and can’t go,” Rhodes tweeted.

Because a few members of Congress and President Trump don’t believe in freedom – they get to tell you where you can and can’t go https://t.co/eVto40lL0A

— Ben Rhodes (@brhodes) June 18, 2017

Rhodes also called out Florida politicians “who will go down in history having embraced Trump and hurt Cubans,” pointing to an Associated Press report that Trump’s posturing had pleased U.S. opponents in Cuba.

“This is what getting ‘tough’ gets you. Well done by those Florida pols who will go down in history having embraced Trump and hurt Cubans,” he wrote in a tweet.

This is what getting “tough” gets you. Well done by those Florida pols who will go down in history having embraced Trump and hurt Cubans https://t.co/pGhyljohfs

— Ben Rhodes (@brhodes) June 18, 2017

Rhodes was instrumental in the Obama administration’s efforts to restore diplomatic relations with Cuba and ease travel restrictions with the island nation, which has been under a U.S. embargo for more than four decades.

{mosads}

Trump signed a directive on Friday outlining a tougher stance on Cuba.

He called the Obama administration’s Cuba policy a “one-sided deal” and accused the previous president of taking a lax stance on the Castro government’s human rights violations.

“They made a deal with a government that spread violence and instability in the region and nothing they got, think about it, nothing they got, they fought for everything and we just didn’t fight hard enough, but now, those days are over,” Trump said.

“We now hold the cards. The previous administration’s easing of restrictions of travel and trade does not help the Cuban people. They only enrich the Cuban regime.”

But Trump did not completely rescind Obama’s policies toward Cuba. The two countries will maintain diplomatic relations, which were restored in 2015, and their embassies in Havana and Washington will remain open.

Tags Barack Obama Ben Rhodes Cuba Donald Trump