Sometimes in this business, you learn that the most important thing a leader can say is that he needs more facts before drawing conclusions. That is exactly the approach Secretary of State Marco Rubio took when addressing a shootout between Cuba's coast guard and a U.S.-registered speedboat, an incident that has raised serious questions about what exactly transpired in those waters.

Speaking with reporters in Saint Kitts on Wednesday, Rubio made it clear that the United States would conduct its own investigation and would not simply accept the Cuban government's version of events. This is the kind of healthy skepticism that serves our national interests well, particularly when dealing with a regime that has a long history of, shall we say, creative storytelling.

"We're going to have our own information," Rubio stated plainly, emphasizing that American officials would evaluate the facts independently before determining an appropriate response. The secretary characterized the incident as "highly unusual" and noted that such confrontations have not occurred with Cuba in quite some time.

The details remain murky, and Rubio wisely refused to speculate about various scenarios that might explain the shootout. "There are a number of things that could have happened," he acknowledged, but made it abundantly clear that premature conclusions would serve no one's interests.

What we do know is this: a shootout in open waters involving Cuban forces and a vessel registered in the United States is not an everyday occurrence. It is the kind of incident that demands thorough investigation and measured response, not knee-jerk reactions based on incomplete information.

"Suffice it to say, it is highly unusual to see shootouts in the open sea like that," Rubio said. "It's not something that happens every day. It's something, frankly, that hasn't happened with Cuba in a very long time. But we're going to find out."

The secretary's confidence that the full story would emerge soon suggests that American intelligence assets are already working to piece together what actually happened. This is proper protocol when dealing with an adversary that cannot be taken at its word.

"We're not going to base our conclusions on what they've told us," Rubio stated firmly. "And I'm very, very confident that we will know the full story of what happened here, and we will know it soon. And then, you know, we'll respond appropriately based on what that information tells us."

This measured approach reflects a maturity in foreign policy that serves our nation well. The temptation in moments like these is to rush to judgment, to either dismiss concerns or escalate tensions before understanding the complete picture. Rubio is doing neither.

The incident occurred in waters where smuggling operations, both of people and contraband, are known to take place. The Caribbean has long been a complicated theater for American interests, with Cuba sitting just ninety miles from our shores. Whatever happened in this confrontation, it deserves serious scrutiny and an appropriate American response once all the facts are known.

That response, when it comes, should be based on evidence rather than speculation, on American intelligence rather than Cuban propaganda. Secretary Rubio appears committed to exactly that standard.

Related: Vice President Vance to Lead Federal Fraud Investigation Following Stunning Minnesota Claims