Secretary of War Pete Hegseth warned Cuba on Wednesday against trying to obtain weapons that could strike the U.S., telling service members at the Guantanamo Bay naval station that such a move would invite a confrontation Havana could not withstand.

"It would be unwise for the government of Cuba to try to procure or get access to the types of weapons that can reach into this base or the American homeland," Hegseth said. "They would be inviting the kind of confrontation not only do they not want, they could not stand.

"No country on Earth can match the capabilities of the United States of America. We seek no enemies. We seek no foes. We're a great friend, and we hope, soon, we can be a friend of the leadership of the government of Cuba.

"For now, let's see what happens. But the Department of War will give the commander in chief every single option he needs inside that contingency."

Hegseth's visit to Guantanamo Bay is the latest high-profile trip by a senior U.S. official to the communist island as the Trump administration steps up pressure on Havana.

Marine Corps Gen. Francis Donovan, head of U.S. Southern Command, visited the base late last month for discussions with a senior Cuban general at its perimeter.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe also visited the island last month.

President Donald Trump has often cited political change in Cuba among the foreign policy goals of his second term.

Trump enjoys strong support among many Cuban Americans in Florida, particularly anti-communist voters who have long favored a tougher U.S. policy toward Havana.

His administration has steadily increased pressure on the Cuban government.

Last week, the State Department sanctioned Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel and four other communist officials.

On May 20, the U.S. formally charged former Cuban President Raul Castro with four counts of murder for the 1996 downing of a civilian aircraft operated by Miami-based exiles.

Trump has effectively imposed a fuel blockade on the island by threatening tariffs on countries supplying it with oil and other energy sources.

Reports have also surfaced that Cuba has acquired more than 300 military drones and discussed potential scenarios involving the base at Guantanamo Bay, U.S. military vessels, and Key West, Florida.

Cuba has denied such reports.

"You look at Cuba, where we are, where the United States of America has been for over a hundred years, where we will remain in key terrain," Hegseth said. "And that government has decisions to make about what kind of reforms they want to pursue.

"It's not my job to make that decision for them. It's our job at the War Department to be prepared for whatever our commander in chief asks us to do on behalf of defending the American people."