U.S. Expanded Spy Network in Cuba to Press for Reform
The U.S. has increased its intelligence presence in Cuba to push for government and economic reforms, according to a new CBS News report.
In brief
The United States has increased the number of intelligence operatives inside Cuba as part of a strategy to push for government and economic reforms, according to a CBS News report. The development points to an active, covert American effort to shape political conditions on the island.
Key Takeaways
The U.S. has expanded its spy presence inside Cuba, per CBS News reporting.
The intelligence buildup is explicitly tied to goals of promoting government and economic reform in Cuba.
The report underscores that Washington's Cuba strategy extends well beyond public diplomacy and sanctions.
What the CBS News Report Reveals About U.S. Intelligence in Cuba
According to CBS News, the United States has grown its network of intelligence operatives in Cuba, and the mission is pointed: push the Cuban government toward political and economic change. The report does not detail which agencies are involved or the precise methods being employed, but the thrust is clear — Washington is not relying solely on economic pressure or public statements to influence Havana.
Cuba has long been one of the most closely watched targets of U.S. intelligence. The island sits roughly 90 miles from Florida, and Washington's relationship with Havana has cycled through confrontation, brief thaws, and renewed hostility across decades. The U.S. Department of State continues to designate Cuba as a State Sponsor of Terrorism, a designation that shapes the legal and diplomatic landscape for any U.S. activity on or toward the island.
Why This Matters in Washington
On Capitol Hill and inside the corridors of the National Security Council, Cuba policy has never been a quiet file. Lawmakers from Florida — home to one of the largest Cuban-American communities in the country — have long pushed administrations to take a harder line with Havana. This report, if accurate, suggests the intelligence community is acting as an instrument of that pressure, operating inside Cuba rather than simply broadcasting demands from Washington.
For DC's foreign policy establishment — the think tanks along Massachusetts Avenue NW, the career officials at Foggy Bottom, the analysts at Langley — covert influence operations aimed at reform rather than regime change occupy a legally and ethically complex space. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence has not publicly commented on the CBS News report. Congressional intelligence committees, which exercise oversight over such operations, have also not issued public statements.
The report also lands at a moment when Cuba faces severe economic strain. Fuel shortages, power outages, and food scarcity have driven repeated waves of public protest on the island in recent years. Whether U.S. intelligence activity is designed to accelerate that internal pressure or to cultivate specific reform-minded actors within Cuban institutions is not specified in the CBS News account.
U.S.-Cuba relations have remained deeply strained. The Obama-era normalization effort — which produced restored diplomatic relations and a reopened embassy in Havana — was largely unwound during the Trump administration, and subsequent administrations have not restored those diplomatic gains in full. NPR has documented the arc of that diplomatic history extensively.
Sanctions under the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control remain in place, restricting financial transactions and trade with Cuba. The covert expansion reported by CBS News suggests that formal diplomatic and economic tools are being supplemented — not replaced — by intelligence activity.
Track the latest developments in federal policy and national security on WDCM's Politics and Power Moves pages.
What to Watch Next
The CBS News report is likely to draw scrutiny from the Senate and House intelligence committees, which hold oversight authority over covert operations. Watch for whether members of Florida's congressional delegation — or hawkish Cuba-policy voices in both parties — amplify or contest the report's framing. Any Cuban government response, or Havana's diplomatic signaling in the days ahead, will also indicate how seriously this disclosure is being taken at the highest levels of the Castro-era successor government.
The bottom line: The United States has quietly expanded its spy presence in Cuba with a stated purpose of promoting government and economic reform, according to CBS News. The report surfaces a covert dimension of Washington's Cuba strategy that operates well beneath the level of public sanctions and diplomatic statements — and it arrives at a moment of significant internal stress inside Cuba itself.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the U.S. have spies in Cuba?
According to a CBS News report, the United States has expanded its intelligence presence in Cuba specifically to push for government and economic reforms. Cuba has long been a priority intelligence target for Washington given its proximity to the U.S. and decades of political tension.
Is the U.S. trying to overthrow the Cuban government?
The CBS News report frames the intelligence expansion around promoting reform, not regime change. The report does not specify the precise tactics or scope of the operations.
What is the current state of U.S.-Cuba relations?
Relations remain strained. The U.S. designates Cuba as a State Sponsor of Terrorism, and comprehensive sanctions through the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control remain in effect. The diplomatic normalization achieved during the Obama administration has not been restored.
Which U.S. agencies oversee Cuba intelligence operations?
The CBS News report does not specify which agencies are involved. Covert operations of this nature would typically fall under CIA authority and be subject to oversight by the Senate and House intelligence committees.
How has Cuba responded to this report?
The CBS News source article does not include any response from the Cuban government.
Where can I follow Washington's Cuba policy developments?
WDCM covers federal policy and national security continuously. Follow our Politics tag for ongoing coverage.
Reporting drawn from: CBS News. Washington DC Magazine provides original analysis, DC-specific context, and editorial perspective beyond the source material.This article was produced with AI assistance and reviewed by WDCM editorial staff. Washington DC Magazine is committed to accuracy, transparency, and editorial integrity. If you believe any information in this article requires correction, please contact editor@washingtondcmagazine.com.
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CAN I KICK IT? screens New Jack City at the Sylvan Theater, Washington Monument, on Aug. 22. (Courtesy SHAOLIN JAZZ)
The live-cinema series CAN I KICK IT? returns to the National Mall this month with what its producers are calling the "Gangsters on the Mall" chapter of their free outdoor summer run. On Saturday, August 22, the SHAOLIN JAZZ production brings the 1991 crime classic New Jack City to the Sylvan Theater at the Washington Monument for a night of film, music, and community under the DC summer sky.
What sets the event apart is the sound. As the film plays, DJ 2-Tone Jones builds an original score in real time, reimagining one of the most iconic crime movies of the ’90s through hip-hop, soul, funk, and more. It is less a movie screening than a live performance built around the film.
The details:
Film: New Jack City (1991), with a live soundtrack by DJ 2-Tone Jones
When: Saturday, August 22 — seating opens at 7:30 p.m. (bring lawn chairs and blankets); film begins at 8:30 p.m.
Where: Sylvan Theater at the Washington Monument, Independence Ave SW & 15th St NW
A parking note from the organizers: expect road closures and restricted parking east of 14th Street NW due to a separate race event in the District. Roads west of 14th Street NW will be accessible and available for parking.
New Jack City is the second of three screenings in this year’s free CAN I KICK IT? outdoor series, which opened with Black Panther at Skyland Town Center and concludes with Scarface at the Lincoln Memorial on September 5. Produced by the Washington, DC-based multimedia arts company SHAOLIN JAZZ, the series has presented more than 150 live cinematic experiences at venues across the country, from Lincoln Center to SXSW.
"I wanted to be able to tell good stories with substance and remove the ‘ego’ out of the art," said Andrew Huang during a recent interview. Now, he’s building his career at the intersection of discipline, creativity and innovation.
Andrew Huang, founder of New Place Studios. (Courtesy photo)
As a Chinese American, Huang was reared with a deep respect for hard work, consistency and excellence. He describes his childhood as "not so affluent" and later attended college to hone his passion for videography. "In college I tried to do something I loved, which was video, but along the way I knew that I had to find a job. And so I thought, ‘what was the low hanging fruit to get to that stable 9 to 5 job?,’" he stated.
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He later described how his upbringing and a mindset of "survival" led him toward a corporate career. However, his desire for balance and authentic storytelling ultimately pushed him to take the entrepreneurial leap.
"I founded a new place where you can create video and film with ‘substance and style,’" said Huang. His desire for work-life balance and passion for storytelling naturally evolved into a small business based in Virginia. With the launch of New Place Studios, the entrepreneur quickly found himself reconnecting with the values that would become the foundation of everything he creates behind the camera.
Huang said being a business owner has allowed him to first embrace himself. While others may see video as simply capturing moments, he sees it as a way to preserve stories that inspire, connect and leave a lasting imprint.
By combining cinematic visuals with cutting-edge production techniques and a keen understanding of branding, Huang helps organizations and individuals communicate their vision with purpose. He said understanding a client’s "why" serves as the compass for delivering the services they need.
One benefit of working with a small business, he said, is that clients get to see the production process unfold through a micro lens while working with the same faces throughout the entire project. "The work feels personal," said Huang.
Huang does not regret leaving behind the flash-over-substance mentality and corporate hustle culture. That does not mean the Asian American entrepreneur has been without challenges in the industry. "It’s relatively hard to find other Asian American creatives or people who would want to work with me in the DMV," said Huang.
He identifies the industry culture in which everyone is trying to blend in, creatives may fear displaying their Asian identity and some feel pressure to adopt an American corporate persona. He also points to what he describes as a level of gatekeeping within the industry. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 2024 statistics, Asian American and Pacific Islander entrepreneurs own more than 3 million businesses and employ 5.2 million people in the United States.
After tapping into organizations such as SCORE, which offers free small business mentorship, New Place Studios has become a trusted creative partner throughout the DMV (Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia). The company produces a range of creative services, including commercials, corporate branding, documentaries, film, 2D animation, motion graphics and photography.
For Huang, entrepreneurship has become more than a departure from corporate life. It has given him the freedom to create with intention, build meaningful connections and tell stories that go beyond the surface.
The 2026 CAN I KICK IT? outdoor series. Poster courtesy of SHAOLIN JAZZ.
For three Saturdays this summer, some of Washington’s most familiar public spaces will do something they rarely do after dark: fill up with blankets, lawn chairs, and the sound of a movie being scored live, in real time. CAN I KICK IT?, the traveling “live cinema” series produced by the DC-based multimedia arts company SHAOLIN JAZZ, is bringing a free outdoor run to the city — pairing three era-defining films with an original soundtrack performed on the spot by DJ 2-Tone Jones.
The premise is what sets it apart from a normal screening in the park. Rather than simply pressing play, 2-Tone Jones builds a score as the film unfolds, pulling from hip-hop, soul, funk, jazz, rock, electronic music, and sounds from around the world. The result, the organizers say, is less a movie night than a one-time performance — the same film you know, wired to a soundtrack you have never heard and will not hear again. Guest DJs warm up the crowd starting at 7:30 PM before each 8:30 PM screening.
The 2026 outdoor schedule
All three events are free and open to the public.
Saturday, August 8 — Black Panther at Skyland Town Center. A pop-up marketplace and community activities kick off the evening; guest DJs at 7:30 PM, film at 8:30 PM. Marvel’s superhero epic gets a one-night-only live score in Southeast DC.
Saturday, August 22 — New Jack City at the Sylvan Theater, Washington Monument. Seating begins at 7:30 PM; the film starts at 8:30 PM. The 1991 crime drama plays out at the foot of one of the country’s most recognizable landmarks.
Saturday, September 5 — Scarface at the Lincoln Memorial. Seating at 7:30 PM; film at 8:30 PM. The series closes with Brian De Palma’s crime saga against the backdrop of the Memorial, scored live from start to finish.
First up: Black Panther at Skyland Town Center on August 8. Poster courtesy of SHAOLIN JAZZ.
A DC company with a national footprint
SHAOLIN JAZZ describes itself as a Washington-based arts company working at the intersection of music, film, art, and culture, and CAN I KICK IT? is its signature production. According to the organizers, the series has staged more than 150 live cinematic experiences around the country — at performing arts centers, museums, festivals, and cultural institutions including Lincoln Center in New York, SXSW, the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Republic Square in Austin, the Tacoma Armory, and The Cary Theater.
“CAN I KICK IT? has always been about creating a shared experience,” said Gerald Watson, co-founder of SHAOLIN JAZZ. “When you combine iconic films with live music in public spaces, something special happens. People aren’t just watching a movie — they’re experiencing it together. That’s what makes these nights so memorable.”
Cinema as a community event
The DC run lands as cities across the country look for new ways to activate public space through arts and culture — and this series is a straightforward pitch for how to do it: take a landmark everyone already knows, add a film everyone has an opinion about, and let a live soundtrack turn the evening into something neighbors experience shoulder to shoulder. Families, film buffs, and music fans are all invited, and admission won’t cost a thing.
The CAN I KICK IT? outdoor series runs August 8, August 22, and September 5. All events are free; check SHAOLIN JAZZ (shaolinjazz.com) for the latest details and any weather updates before heading out.
