Senate

Rubio: Obama administration hiding details on stray missile

by Jordain Carney - 01/08/16 4:53 PM ET

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) is demanding that the Obama administration turn over details of how the Cuban government wound up having a U.S. missile.

The Florida Republican, who is running for president, sent a letter Friday to Roberta Jacobson, the assistant secretary of State for western hemisphere affairs, accusing the department of withholding information after reports that a Hellfire missile was sent to Cuba after being used during a European training exercise.

{mosads}”Sensitive U.S. technology falling into the hands of such a regime has significant implications for U.S. national security. The fact that the administration, including you, have apparently tried to withhold this information from the congressional debate and public discussion over U.S.-Cuba policy is disgraceful,” he wrote in the letter.

Jacobson, whose nomination to be ambassador to Mexico has stalled in the Senate, is considered central to the administration’s push to improve relations with Cuba.

Rubio is asking her to detail if the State Department knew about the missile, when she was informed that Cuba had a U.S. missile and who told her, who in Cuba currently has the missile and when the administration raised the issue with the Castro government.

He also wants to know why the administration didn’t require the return of the missile as part of the talks to renew relations or reopen the Cuban embassy or as a requirement to get off the State Sponsors of Terrorism list.

According to a Wall Street Journal report, administration officials tried to get Cuba to return the missile as part of the months-long talks to restart relations.

Gen. John Kelly, the commander of U.S. Southern Command, suggested during a briefing with reporters on Friday that he was unfamiliar with the situation.

“Really? Are we blaming the Post Office for that?,” he joked when asked about the report. “I have zero involvement with Cuba right now — the Cuban military.”

Rubio also wants to know why the administration didn’t tell lawmakers about the missile during any briefings amid talks with the Cuban government to restart relations, and if the State Department knows if Cuba has shared the design of the missile with any other government.

A State Department official told NPR that the missile was a “dummy” and missing both a warhead and a guidance system.

Tags Cuba Marco Rubio