Trump’s decision to amplify the video now comes as oil infrastructure and potentially expanded U.S. involvement are center stage.
President Donald Trump on Monday reposted a clip on Truth Social from a 1987 interview with journalist Barbara Walters in which he argued that the United States should seize Iranian oil installations in response to attacks, resurfacing remarks he made long before entering politics as the U.
S.–Israel war with Iran enters a more volatile phase., shows a 41‑year‑old Trump criticizing what he described as American weakness and suggesting that if Iran attacked the U.S., Washington should “grab one of their big oil installations” and keep it to recoup losses. Trump’s decision to amplify the video now comes as oil infrastructure, shipping routes, and the possibility of expanded U.S. involvement are central to the current conflict.By resurfacing an interview in which he openly advocated seizing Iranian oil assets, Trump is reinforcing a message he has repeated in recent days—that economic leverage and control of energy infrastructure are central to how he views pressure on Tehran. The post also risks inflaming tensions at a moment when some Republican lawmakers have publicly expressed unease about escalation and have warned against any move thatIn the 1987 interview, conducted during the Iran‑Iraq War and years after the Iranian hostage crisis, Trump told Walters the U.S. should respond forcefully to Iranian aggression. When pressed on how such a move would work, including whether it could mean war, Trump argued weakness itself invited conflict and said the U.S. should seize and hold oil installations to offset losses. Trump reposted the clip on Monday after it had circulated widely on social media, presenting it as evidence that his thinking on Iran has. The resurfaced remarks dovetail with comments he has made over the past several days, in which he again floated the idea of taking Iranian oil assets as part of a broader strategy to pressure Tehran. Those more recent comments have centered on Kharg Island, Iran’s primary oil export hub located in the Persian Gulf. In interviews and public remarks over the weekend, Trump suggested seizing or controlling the island was among the options available, while insisting no final decision had been made., handling the vast majority of the country’s crude exports. Any attempt to seize or neutralize the facility would represent a major escalation, likely requiring a sustained military presence to secure and operate the site, and would carry significant economic and geopolitical consequences. Analysts have warned such a move could provoke wider retaliation and further destabilize shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, through which a significant share of the world’s oil supply passes.. Several GOP lawmakers have said they oppose deploying U.S. ground troops into Iran and have complained the White House has not clearly articulated its endgame. Others have raised constitutional concerns about Congress’s role in authorizing extended military operations. Against that backdrop, reviving language about “taking” oil assets risks deepening At the same time, the White House has continued to project confidence, arguing that military pressure and economic leverage can be applied without committing to a full‑scale ground war. Administration officials have emphasized all options remain on the table, while insisting no decision has been made to send American troops into direct ground combat inside Iran.“The enemy publicly sends messages of negotiation and dialogue, but secretly is planning a ground attack. The U.S. is unaware that our men are waiting for the arrival of American troops on the ground to set them on fire and punish their regional partners forever. Our firing continues. Our missiles are in place. Our determination and faith have increased.”"To be very clear on this, the worst thing that can happen is to be able to have this kind of conflict start and to not end it, to leave it undone. We've got to be able to finish this…If this is special forces to be able to carry out a specific operation—get in, get out—-that's very different than longstanding occupation.” Representative Nancy Mace, a South Carolina Republican, to CNN on Sunday on sending ground troops into Iran: "I think that’s a line for a lot of people. If we’re going to do that, then come to Congress and get the proper authorities to do so.”Attention is likely to remain focused on whether U.S. rhetoric about oil assets translates into concrete military planning, particularly around Kharg Island and the Strait of Hormuz. Markets, allies, and lawmakers will be watching closely for signs that the conflict is shifting from punitive strikes toward longer‑term control of strategic infrastructure., ours is different: The Courageous Center—it's not"both sides," it's sharp, challenging and alive with ideas. We follow facts, not factions. If that sounds like the kind of journalism you want to see thrive, we need you., you support a mission to keep the center strong and vibrant. Members enjoy: Ad-free browsing, exclusive content and editor conversations.Politics
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