President Donald Trump on Tuesday delivered his first speech to the United Nations General Assembly, where he castigated a number of countries, including Cuba, saying he would not lift sanctions on the Cuban government until it makes substantial reforms.
"Nations of the world must take a greater role in promoting secure and prosperous societies in their own regions," Trump said.
Trump went on to condemn Cuba for being "corrupt" and vocally supported the Cuban people, and their dreams of "freedom."
"That is why in the western hemisphere, the United States has stood against the corrupt, destabilizing regime in Cuba and embraced the endearing dream of the Cuban people to live in freedom," Trump said.
"My administration recently announced that we will not lift sanctions on the Cuban government until it makes fundamental reforms," Trump said.
Trump announced a revised U.S.-Cuba policy back in June while visiting Miami. The new policy eliminated travel for single individuals and banned future U.S. business transactions with Cuba's military, the Washington Free Beacon reported.
The new approach aims to tighten several of the travel and commercial policies that President Obama loosened over the last two years with the goal of curbing the flow of U.S. cash to the Cuban government, especially its military.
Trump and others who back the changes want to pressure the Castro regime to allow the island's private sector to grow and to stop beating and imprisoning political opponents, which dissident groups say increased after Obama's diplomatic thaw.