MIAMI _ The Trump administration ordered Thursday the immediate expulsion of two Cuban diplomats accused of participating in "influence operations" against the United States.
"The United States requires the imminent departure of two members of Cuba's Permanent Mission to the United Nations for abusing their privileges of residence," the State Department said in a statement. "This is due to their attempts to conduct influence operations against the United States."
Though the State Department didn't provide details, the phrase "influence operations" usually refers to gathering intelligence and recruiting sources for purposes of espionage. Cuba's U.N. mission has widely been regarded as a key intelligence-gathering operation for the island's government.
The administration also restricted the movements of the rest of the members of the Cuban mission to the U.N. to the island of Manhattan.
"We take any and all attempts against the National Security of the United States seriously, and will continue to investigate any additional personnel who may be manipulating their privileges of residence," the statement said.
