Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday announced an additional round of sanctions on Cuba amid negotiations with Havana and talk from the White House of a "friendly takeover" of the island.

"The Trump Administration is taking decisive action to protect U.S. national security and deprive Cuba’s communist regime and military of access to illicit assets," Rubio said in a statement.

The sanctions targeted Grupo de administration emprasarial (GAESA), which the State Department described as a "military-controlled umbrella enterise" at the heart of the "kleptocratic communist system."

Rubio also place sanctions on GAESA Executive President Ania Guillermina Lastres Morera and Moa Nickel SA (MNSA), a partially state-operated company that he said "exploited Cuba's natural resources to benefit the regime."

President Donald Trump has previously hinted at what he called a "friendly takeover" of Cuba and the Havana government has confirmed talks with the United States.

Ben Whedon is the Chief Political Correspondent at Just the News. Follow him on X.