June 16 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump on Friday is expected to announce changes to existing U.S. policy toward Cuba during a trip to Miami.
He is scheduled to deliver remarks at 1:10 p.m. from the Manuel Artime Theater and sign policy before returning to Washington, D.C.
The president has been critical of actions that intended to warm decades of icy relations with the communist island nation. He believes many of former President Barack Obama's efforts undermine U.S. and Cuban economic interests, as well as national security. He has promised to roll back certain parts of the Obama administration's reforms since announcing his candidacy in 2015.
"My administration's policy will be guided by key U.S. national security interests and solidarity with the Cuban people," a draft of the presidential directive states. "I will seek to promote a stable, prosperous, and free country for the Cuban people. To that end, we must ensure that U.S. funds are not channeled to a regime that has failed to meet the most basic requirements of a free and just society." r in 2015.
Friday's announcement is expected to be made by Trump at the Manuel Artime Theater in Miami -- which, at a distance of about 230 miles, is the closest major American city to Cuba.
Some Republicans have publicly encouraged Trump to reverse Obama's Cuba efforts, including former GOP presidential candidate and Cuban-American Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla.
Doug G. Ware contributed to this report.
