THE US will place extra tariffs on any country that sells or sends oil to Cuba, President Donald Trump said in a Whitehouse statement on Thursday night.

In a new executive order, Mr Trump said that Cuba constitutes “an unusual and extraordinary threat” to the world’s richest and most militarily powerful country because of its government’s relations with Russia, China, Iran and Hamas, as well its alleged support for Hezbollah.

“NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J TRUMP, President of the United States of America… hereby declare a national emergency,” he said.

To deal with this sudden “emergency,” Mr Trump explained that the US will now impose additional tariffs on all goods imported from “any other country that directly or indirectly sells or otherwise provides any oil to Cuba.”

Cuba Solidarity Campaign chairman Kevin Courtney took aim at the absurdity and authoritarian nature of Mr Trump’s plans.

“They’ve blocked oil from Venezuela and are now threatening tariffs on any country that trades oil with Cuba.

“This is being done without oversight or agreement by the US legislative branch — overriding all democratic norms — by using a claim that Cuba represents a threat to the US.

“This claim is absurd. The US has troops all over the world; the world’s greatest military machine; Cuba has doctors and nurses all over the world.

“In fact, Trump senses a real estate opportunity in Cuba — if he can break the island’s independence.”

After the US kidnapped Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and forced its government to stop sending oil to its socialist ally, Cuba is estimated to only have about two weeks’ worth of oil.