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A top Cuban official has warned that his country is ready to fight and “die” over its sovereignty if the United States moves militarily against the island.

Some shit you should know before you dig in: If you’re unaware, President Trump has repeatedly warned Cuban officials to make a “deal” or face consequences. Last month, he called Cuba a “failing nation” and said he’d have “the honor of taking Cuba” soon, while floating the idea of a “friendly takeover” without explaining what that meant. He’s also threatened tariffs on any country selling oil to Cuba, squeezing an island that already produces less than 40% of the fuel it needs (though he later allowed a Russian tanker through, saying Cuba was “finished” regardless). Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been even more blunt, telling reporters Cuba needs to “change the people in charge.” The pressure comes on the heels of Trump’s success in Venezuela, where US forces captured Nicolás Maduro earlier this year. Despite Trump’s demands, the Cuban government has said it’s willing to talk with the US but says regime change is off the table.

What’s going on now: During an interview with NBC News’ Kristen Welker, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel made clear that any US military move on the island would be met with resistance. “If that happens, there will be fighting, and there will be a struggle, and we will defend ourselves, and if we need to die, we’ll die, because as our national anthem says, ‘Dying for the homeland is to live,'” he said through a translator.

He pushed back hard on US demands to release political prisoners, hold elections, and recognize free press, saying none of those demands had actually been formally made and that Cuba’s political system is simply not on the negotiating table. Welker specifically asked about Cuban rapper Maykel Osorbo, a Latin Grammy winner who’s been locked up since 2021 after writing a protest song during nationwide demonstrations. Díaz-Canel refused to commit to his release and rejected the “political prisoner” label entirely, calling the narrative “a big lie” and “a slander” designed to undermine the revolution.

When Welker asked if he’d step down to save Cuba, Díaz-Canel turned the question back on her, asking whether she’d ever put that to any other world leader and if the question was coming from her or from the State Department. He added, “The concept of revolutionaries giving up and stepping down….it’s not part of our vocabulary.”

Despite his tone, Díaz-Canel confirmed that low-level talks between the two governments are ongoing, describing them as aimed at finding solutions to bilateral differences. A White House official confirmed the talks, saying Cuba’s leaders “want to make a deal and should make a deal.”