Years later during the Cuban Missile Crisis, Gromyko met John F. Kennedy, then President of the United States, while acting under instructions from the current Soviet leader, Nikita Khrushchev. In his "Memoirs", Gromyko wrote that Kennedy seemed out of touch when he first met him, and was more ideologically driven than practical. In a 1988 interview, he further described Kennedy as nervous and prone to making contradictory statements involving American intentions towards Cuba. Gromyko, in addition to John F. Kennedy, held important political discussions with Dean Rusk, a former United States Secretary of State, in regards to the Cuban Missile Crisis. He defended his nations actions, stating that the Soviet Union had every right to be present in Cuba, especially considering the fact that the USA had established their own missiles in Turkey (Jupiter intermediate-range ballistic missiles). To Gromyko it seemed ironical, the Soviet Union was blamed for their presence in Cuba, yet America had established countless of foreign military bases worldwide. After several negotiations, Gromyko mentioned: "By Rusk's behavior it was possible to observe how painfully the American leaders are suffering the fact that the Soviet Union decisively has stood on the side of Cuba...", showcasing Rusk's weak character, as stated in Gromyko's Telegram.