Donald Trump shared a clip from a 1987 TV interview on Monday (local time), repeating his old rhetoric calling for Iran’s oil assets to be seized and “recovered” as tensions rise over the ongoing war with Iran.
resurfaced clipTrump criticized what he said was U.S. weakness and suggested direct action against Iran’s oil infrastructure. “Why can’t we go in and take over some of the oil off their coast?” he can be heard saying in the clip. track Real-time updates on the US-Iraq war
The video dates back to December 1987, ABC’s segment 20/20Trump, 41, spoke with journalist Barbara Walters about U.S. strategy in the Persian Gulf during the Iran-Iraq War. At the time, Iran was targeting oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, a key global shipping lane.
When an interviewer asked how such a move would work and pointed to the risk of escalation or military involvement, Trump responded bluntly: “You go in… you take the oil… and let Iran fight its own war. You take their oil.”
“Grab it and keep it”
The video goes a step further, with Trump advocating for a more aggressive response if Iran attacks the United States again.
“Next time Iran attacks this country, go in and seize one of their big oil facilities, I mean seize it and keep it, and recoup your losses because this country has lost a lot because of Iran.”
He doubled down on this argument, warning him not to think of a lack of determination: “You’re going to get into trouble because of weakness.”
Trump also dismissed concerns at the time that the Soviet Union might intervene, saying, “I don’t think they would (intervene).”
US President’s latest ‘elimination’ warning
The interview resurfaced as Trump issued a stern new warning to Tehran, tying the military escalation that began when Iran’s leader Suleime was killed in a joint U.S.-Israeli strike on February 28 to the status of the Strait of Hormuz.
In an article published in Truth Social, he said the United States was negotiating with what he called a “more reasonable” regime, adding that progress had been made toward ending the military campaign.
However, he warned that there would be serious consequences if a deal was not reached and the strait was not reopened. “If for any reason a deal is not reached soon, or the Strait of Hormuz is not ‘opened’ immediately,” Trump said, adding that the United States would step up its response.
He then laid out what an escalation might look like: “We will end our wonderful ‘stay’ in Iran by blowing up and completely destroying all of Iran’s power plants, oil wells and Khag Island.”
Trump added that “probably all desalination plants” could also be targeted, noting that those sites “haven’t been intentional yet.” [been] Moved. “
He said the move would be “revenge for the many of our soldiers and others that Iran has massacred and killed” during what he called the regime’s “47-year ‘reign of terror.'”
