By sending CIA chief to Cuba, Trump signals diplomacy on his terms

It was a non-so-secret get together, which saw U.S. Chairperson Donald ruff, not for the number one time, dispatch the head of the Central Intelligence Agency to attend and deliver a message on his behalf.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe's visit to Havana to meet with Cuban officials on Thursday was disclosed by both sides, seemingly marking a departure from typical practices when the spy agency's leader goes abroad.

"The CIA director's travel is usually extremely secretive," said former U.S. Diplomat Cécile Shea, when speaking to German broadcaster Deutsche Welle. "The fact that it is public from both sides ... Is unusual."

The CIA even released photos of Ratcliffe's meeting with Cuban officials, and at least one journalist captured images of the spy chief boarding his flight home on a conspicuously marked U.S. Government plane parked on a tarmac in Havana.

The Cuban government didn't hide the existence of the meeting either, issuing a statement saying that the U.S. Had requested it take place. Officials there said they presented evidence to the U.S. That Cuba "does not constitute a threat to U.S. National security."

The corresponding message that Ratcliffe delivered from Trump — according to unnamed CIA officials who spoke to media — was that the U.S. Is willing to engage with Havana on key issues, but only if "fundamental changes" are made in Cuba.

Observers see Trump's decision to send a spy chief to sit down with Cuba as indicative of a president who doesn't trust a traditional diplomat to get the job done, while also setting a tone with his choice of messenger.

"Using CIA assets instead of U.S. Diplomats is meant to increase pressure on the Cuban regime and signal Washington’s seriousness," Imdat Oner, a senior fellow at Florida International University and former Turkish diplomat who served in Latin America, said via email.

The Trump administration has been ramping up pressure on Cuba this year, widening sanctions against its government, threatening action against it, flying spy planes over the island and squeezing its ability to import fuel. As the week came to a close, reports emerged that the Trump administration plans to seek an indictment against former Cuban leader Raúl Castro.

U.S. Preparing indictment of Raúl Castro, reports say

The Cuban government has slammed the ongoing U.S. Actions, but has struggled to manage the mounting challenges to its economy, fuel supply and ability to deliver services to its people.

Retired U.S. Diplomat Lawrence Gumbiner sees Trump's decision to send a spy chief to relay his talking points as in keeping with his style of sending hand-picked envoys abroad — such as his son-in-law Jared Kushner or Steve Witkoff — rather than professional diplomats.

As Havana declares it's out of fuel, CIA director meets with Cuban officials

"President Trump values loyalty over experience and utilizes his personnel without regard to normal diplomatic roles," said Gumbiner, who previously served as the chargé d'affaires for the U.S. Embassy in Havana.

"The White House does not trust the U.S. Diplomatic corps, and Trump often turns to non-traditional envoys," he said by email.

Gumbiner noted that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio — who travelled with Trump for his visit to China — had previously been engaged on the Cuba issue and would likely take a lead role on any major negotiations to come.

Gumbiner also pointed out that it's not necessarily unusual for a spy chief to talk to leaders abroad.

"Although not frequent, deploying the CIA chief on diplomatic missions is not unheard of and therefore not that surprising," said Gumbiner, pointing to globe-trotting missions that Ratcliffe's predecessor, William J. Burns, a career diplomat, was sent on during Joe Biden's presidency.

Gumbiner said Burns' "tremendous diplomatic skills" allowed Biden to rely on him for sensitive issues around the globe.

News reports from Burns' tenure as CIA chief, identified him as meeting, at various points, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Taliban political leader Abdul Ghani Baradar, among others.

Earlier this year, Ratcliffe was dispatched for another such meeting with a foreign leader: He was in Caracas within two weeks of the ousting of Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro, to meet with Delcy Rodríguez and other officials.

Reuters, citing a U.S. Official, then reported that Trump directed Ratcliffe "to deliver the message that the United States ​looks forward to an improved working relationship."

Florida International University's Oner believes that Trump sees potential for the U.S. To achieve similar results in Cuba to what happened in Venezuela — and the CIA was integral to what was achieved in Caracas.

"In Venezuela, Trump similarly relied on CIA channels to pressure Maduro and explore operational options," said Oner.

In the case of Cuba, Oner said "the CIA is clearly probing the regime's internal dynamics and exploring whether elements within the Cuban power structure are willing to negotiate a political shift.

"As in Venezuela, the expectation in Washington is to weaken or remove the existing ruling circle and replace it with a leadership more open to co-operation with the United States, politically, economically, and strategically."

---

---