White House: No plans for trip to Keys to announce Cuba policy change

The White House is denying a newspaper report published Wednesday that said President Barack Obama plans a visit to Key West to announce changes to Cuba travel policy.

The Washington Times' Inside the Beltway column reported that Obama would visit Key West this spring, and would use the opportunity to announce the ''removal of certain travel restrictions to Cuba.''

White House spokeswoman Gannet Tseggai said no such trip is planned.

The Times had attributed the information to Andy Messing Jr., a retired army major in Key West.

Cuba-watchers have been anxious for Obama to fulfill a campaign promise to lift travel restrictions that limit how often Cuban Americans can visit their relatives on the island and how much money they can send them.

Obama recently scaled back Bush-era restrictions somewhat to comply with a recent law passed by Congress, but he had promised Cuban Americans unfettered travel.

Key West City Commissioner Bill Verge said the commission passed a resolution last week inviting President Obama to visit the Little White House in Key West for the celebration of President Harry Truman's 125th birthday on May 8.

''But President Obama hasn't called, saying, 'Hey, I'm coming on down to Key West,''' Verge said. ''We know nothing about any visit. It's really doubtful.''

Spokespeople for both the U.S. Navy and Joint Interagency Task Force-South based in Key West also said they had no knowledge of any presidential visit to the Southernmost City.