Washington, Sep 30 (IANS): A new report has said that Donald Trump sought to invest in Cuba in the late 1990s, raising the possibility that the Republican presidential nominee violated US law.

According to the report on Newsweek, Trump Hotel executives visited the island in 1998 to meet with officials there about doing business, CNN reported.

The company spent over $68,000 on the trip and does not appear to have obtained the necessary US treasury license to spend money in Cuba, the report said.

"They clearly knew what the rules were and flouted them," the report's author, Kurt Eichenwald told CNN.

The Trump campaign did not respond, but manager Kellyanne Conway denied he had broken the law.

"He's very critical of Cuba. He's very critical of (Fidel) Castro," Conway said in an interview on ABC News.

Under the five-decades-old trade embargo -- which can only be lifted by Congress -- US citizens are banned from spending any funds on the island.

The US and Cuba restored relations last year and President Barack Obama has eased some sanctions to allow more US travel and commerce with Cuba.

At a rally in Miami earlier this month, Trump blasted the Cuba policy changes, an apparent shift from past statements in which he supported the reopening of diplomatic relations after more than 50 years.

The Republican candidate said he could close down the newly reopened US embassy in Havana if Cuba did not allow greater political and religious rights for Cubans.