By Jessica Thompson • February 28, 2026 • Share
President John F. Kennedy’s decision to sign the 1962 embargo on Cuban imports marked a significant turning point in U.S.–Cuba relations. However, this pivotal moment came with an unexpected twist.
Knowing that Cuban cigars would soon be a prohibited luxury, Kennedy discreetly instructed his press secretary, Pierre Salinger, to acquire as many as he could before the ban took effect.
The next morning, Salinger returned triumphantly, having secured around 1,200 Petit Upmann cigars, Kennedy’s cherished brand. It was only after this personal stockpile was assured that Kennedy officially authorized the embargo.
The embargo would go on to freeze trade and diplomatic exchanges between the two nations for decades. It became an enduring symbol of the U.S.’s strategy during the Cold War, extending far beyond Kennedy’s tenure.
Despite its serious implications, the image of JFK enjoying a cigar, while at the same time denying this pleasure to the American public, emerges as one of the most ironic and relatable moments of the Cold War era.
The embargo was part of a broader strategy aimed at isolating Fidel Castro’s communist regime in Cuba both economically and politically.
The failed Bay of Pigs invasion, along with escalating tensions, had left the U.S. searching for new ways to exert pressure on Cuba.
As the embargo took hold, it became a defining feature of U.S. foreign policy during this period, with its effects felt long after Kennedy left office.
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