Kamal Ghorui
United States President Donald Trump on Monday shared his 1987 interview amid the ongoing war against Iran, resurfacing decades-old comments in which he advocated seizing Iranian oil installations in response to attacks.The video, originally from a December 1987 segment on ABC’s 20/20 with journalist Barbara Walters, shows a 41-year-old Trump discussing US strategy in the Persian Gulf during the Iran-Iraq War era, when Iran was targeting oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz.In the clip, Trump argued against American weakness and proposed taking control of Iranian oil assets along the sea as a direct response.”Why couldn’t we go in and take over some of their oil, which is along the sea?” Trump said.When pressed on the method and risks, including potential involvement of Marines or escalation to war, he replied: “You go in… you take the oil… Let Iran fight their own war. You take their oil.”He added: “You get in trouble with weakness.”Dismissing concerns about Soviet intervention at the time, Trump stated: “I don’t think they would [intervene].”“The next time Iran attacks this country, go in and grab one of their big oil installations, and I mean grab it and keep it, and get back your losses, because this country has lost plenty because of Iran.”VIDEOOn Sunday, Trump said he would prefer to “take the oil in Iran” and indicated that Washington could move to seize Kharg Island, Tehran’s main oil export hub, as the US ramps up its military presence in the Middle East.In an interview with the Financial Times on Sunday, Trump said his “preference would be to take the oil”, drawing a comparison with Venezuela, where the US plans to retain control over the oil sector “indefinitely” after capturing strongman leader Nicolás Maduro earlier this year.His remarks come at a time when the US-Israel war with Iran has pushed the region deeper into crisis and driven a sharp surge in global oil prices. Brent crude climbed above $116 per barrel on Monday in Asian trading, nearing its highest level since the conflict began.Trump said: “To be honest with you, my favourite thing is to take the oil in Iran but some stupid people back in the US say: ‘why are you doing that?’ But they’re stupid people.”Any such move would likely involve capturing Kharg Island, through which the bulk of Iran’s oil exports are routed.The US has already been reinforcing its troop presence in the region. The Pentagon has ordered the deployment of around 10,000 personnel trained for ground operations, including seizing and holding territory. Roughly 3,500 troops arrived on Friday, among them about 2,200 Marines. Another 2,200 Marines are on the way, along with thousands more from the 82nd Airborne Division.
