They misunderstood the assignment.

I’d take my odds with the bottom track.

To try harder to not get caught.

This is gonna lead to things getting a whole lot worse for everyone. If the punishment for literally anything they happen to decide is a crime can be death, that leaves people with absolutely no reason not to fight back violently. Not like the punishment could get any worse.

My head canon is that it was simple reverse psychology. Biden really wanted to keep Cuba on the list, but also wanted to score some easy political points on the way out, so he made a show of how he was de-listing them, knowing Trump would undo it a week later because Trump is an immature crybaby bitch.