CIA Creates Secret Task Force on Cuba After Elevating Island to Priority 1 Intelligence Target

The Trump administration raised Cuba to "Priority 1" status within the National Intelligence Priority Framework, placing it alongside China, Iran, and Russia, and the CIA subsequently formed a secret task force dedicated to the island, the New York Times reported Wednesday citing people familiar with the effort 123. The unit can redirect money, personnel, and technical support to Cuba operations and includes case officers, analysts, cyber operations specialists, and covert influence experts, according to the Times 23. Per the Times, the task force lacks authorization for lethal operations and, unlike the Bay of Pigs-era effort, has no organized Cuban partners on the ground 23. The unit's goal is to exploit fissures within Cuba's ruling elite and encourage the replacement of hardline officials with leaders more receptive to Washington, following a May visit to Havana by CIA Director John Ratcliffe, who told Cuban officials the US would only engage on economic and security matters if Havana made "fundamental changes," including ending Russian and Chinese intelligence activity on the island 23. The report follows a Politico account describing over 150 hours of aerial reconnaissance by P-8A Poseidon, RC-135V Rivet Joint, and MQ-4C Triton aircraft near Cuba since February, some flights within 64 kilometers of the coast 3.