U.S. President Donald Trump said that Cuba is facing a severe humanitarian and economic crisis and suggested the situation could lead to what he described as a possible “friendly takeover.”

Speaking at a news conference in Doral, Florida, Trump said the country is running out of basic resources and that the situation is being handled by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Trump told reporters that Rubio is currently dealing with the issue and that the outcome could vary.

“It may be a friendly takeover, it may not be a friendly takeover,” Trump said. “Wouldn’t really matter because they’re really down to, as they say, fumes. They have no energy, they have no money.”

The Cuban government has publicly stated that it is not engaged in high-level negotiations with the United States. However, officials have not directly denied reports suggesting that informal discussions may be taking place.

Some reports claim U.S. officials could be speaking with Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, the grandson of former Cuban president Raúl Castro.

Cuba has been governed for decades by the political system created after the revolution led by Fidel Castro in 1959.

In the United States, particularly in Miami, many Cuban exiles have historically opposed the Cuban government and have long hoped to see the current system collapse or be replaced.

Trump’s remarks come as Cuba continues to struggle with major economic problems, including energy shortages, limited access to foreign currency, and declining infrastructure.

It remains unclear whether any significant diplomatic developments are actually underway, and Cuban authorities have so far denied that formal negotiations with the United States are happening.