U.S. becomes Cuba's top 2026 supplier with record $674M in shipments

Trade flows through embargo exemptions despite State Department sanctions

The $674 million in U.S. shipments to Cuba between January and July already represents 83.2% of all U.S. exports to the island last year, and July alone accounted for $148.9 million — the highest monthly total since 1992, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures reported by UPI.

The largest categories of U.S. goods included basic necessities valued at $126.6 million, frozen chicken at $118 million, and petroleum products at $117.1 million.

The growth stems from a combination of Cuba’s domestic economic crisis and regulatory exemptions to U.S. restrictions, digital news outlet 14ymedio reported. The U.S. embargo does not amount to a complete ban on selling goods to Cuba; regulations allow certain humanitarian goods and transactions involving Cuba’s private sector, among other exemptions.

Much of the increase has been driven by Cuba’s emerging entrepreneurs and small businesses, which use the exemptions to import containers of goods from U.S. ports including Miami, Houston, and New Orleans. Under certain regulatory exemptions aimed at Cuba’s non-state sector, private Cuban companies are also importing fuel.

Private-sector participation, however, does not mean the Cuban state is entirely removed from the transactions. According to contracts reviewed by Cuban news outlet Periódico Cubano, Cupet and Cimex — state-owned conglomerates with significant roles in the island’s economy — charge fees to store and distribute fuel imported by small businesses in Cuba.

The shift puts the United States ahead of Cuba’s traditional trading partners, including Spain and China, in the January-July period. Just three years ago, the United States ranked 10th among Cuba’s trading partners.

The trade remains sharply asymmetric. While U.S. exports to Cuba have reached record levels, Washington imports almost no Cuban products — U.S. purchases from Cuba totaled only about $515,000 through July.

The expansion in authorized trade has run in parallel with new restrictions on Cuban entities. The State Department has imposed sanctions this year on individuals and organizations linked to the Cuban government, even as the humanitarian and private-sector exemptions continue to channel a record volume of goods to the island.

President Donald Trump said Saturday that he expects to reach an agreement with Cuba and, for now, ruled out a U.S. military intervention on the island. Trump made the comments to reporters at the White House after CBS News reported that the U.S. military was assessing resources for a potential operation involving the Caribbean nation.

The president also said he wants to “help Cuba” and “open” the country, referring to Cuban Americans who want to return to the island.