After Venezuela and Iran, Cuba? Trump says ‘it looks like I’ll be the one that does it’

President Donald Trump on Thursday said past U.S. presidents have mulled intervening in Cuba for decades, but “it looks like I’ll be the one that does it.” He’d suggested the opposite a day earlier, however, saying further escalation isn’t necessary after federal prosecutors announced criminal charges against former Cuban President Raúl Castro in the 1996 downing of civilian planes flown by Miami-based exiles. Meanwhile, Senate Republicans are expected to abandon a proposal for $1 billion in security money for the White House complex and Trump’s ballroom on Thursday. And Trump’s plan to build a triumphal arch in Washington is getting a second look from the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, a federal agency that suggested changes before it approved the concept last month. The Latest: Trump, facing a Senate Republican mutiny, says, ‘I don’t need money for the ballroom’ Trump, facing a Senate Republican mutiny, says ‘I don’t need money for the ballroom’ Asked about Senate Republicans dropping a proposed $1 billion for White House security and his ballroom project, Trump said, “I’m making a gift of the ballroom.” Trump says the ballroom will be paid for by himself and donors – though much about its financing remains mysterious. Trump drew distinctions between the ballroom and proposed White House security improvements. He said the ballroom was being built “in conjunction” with the military and the Secret Service and that “a tremendous amount” of the project “is for national security.” The president also said that the changes were “not for me because I’ll be gone,” even though he’s repeatedly mused about remaining in office after his term. Trump says he hopes to finish his revamp of the Reflecting Pool by Independence Day Trump says he hopes to finish his revamp of the Reflecting Pool by Independence Day “The key is to have it done before July 4,” the president said. “We want to see if we can have it done before July 4.” The president has spent weeks promising to impro