Beyoncé And Jay Z 2013 Cuba Trip Legal: Couple Violated No U.S. Sanctions Laws, Says Report

All the controversy surrounding Beyoncé and Jay Z’s 2013 trip to Cuba can end now, as it has been deemed legal. In April, the power couple faced backlash from Cuban-American Congress members from Florida, among others, for violating the longstanding U.S. embargo against Cuba. However, the Treasury Department’s Office of Inspector General released a nine-page report on Wednesday, stating the couple did not violate U.S. sanctions laws during their trip, which coincided with their fifth wedding anniversary.

Beyoncé and Jay Z's trip to Cuba was properly licensed by the Office of Foreign Assets Control under the "people-to-people" educational exchange program, the report says, according to CNN.

"We believe OFAC's determination that there was no apparent violation of U.S. sanctions with respect to Jay Z and Beyoncé’s trip to Cuba," the report also states.

The trip received so much attention that a White House news conference ended up revolving around Jay Z, otherwise known as Sean Carter, and Beyoncé. A reporter asked former press secretary Jay Carney, amid laughs from fellow journalists, if Jay Z received White House clearance for his trip to Cuba and whether or not he spoke to Obama about it.

She then proceeded to quote lyrics from the rapper’s song “Open Letter,” which addressed the Cuba trip, saying, “Boy from the hood/I got White House clearance/Obama said, ‘Chill, you gonna get me impeached/You don’t need this [expletive] anyway [sic]. Chill with me on the beach.'”

The rest of the press in the conference room could not contain their laughter as the journalist repeated Jay Z’s lyrics. "I guess nothing rhymed with treasury,” Carney replied before later stating, “It’s a song. ... The president did not communicate with Jay Z over this trip.”

Obama later said in an interview with NBC’s “Today,” "I wasn't familiar that they were taking the trip," Obama answered. "My understanding is I think they went through a group that organizes these educational trips down to Cuba."

When asked if he had heard “Open Letter,” Obama did not address the question.