According to Havana, four of the armed Cubans were killed, and six were injured in return fire. One Cuban official was also wounded during the confrontation.
Cuban authorities confirmed earlier this week that they were communicating with U.S. officials following the shooting. Rubio has said the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Coast Guard are investigating the incident.
Cuba has been central to Trump’s foreign policy rhetoric in recent weeks, particularly after U.S. forces ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, a longtime ally of Havana.
Following that operation, Trump suggested military action against Cuba might not be necessary, arguing that the island’s struggling economy could collapse without oil shipments from Venezuela.
“We’ve had a lot of years of dealing with Cuba. I’ve been hearing about Cuba since I’m a little boy. But they’re in big trouble,” Trump said.