Donald Trump says U.S. could ‘decide to stay’ in Iran and ‘keep the oil’
President Donald Trump said the United States could remain in Iran and take control of its oil as the war continues to disrupt energy markets, pointing to Venezuela as a precedent during remarks to reporters in Ireland on September 13.
“We’ll ultimately get out, unless we decide to stay and keep the oil like Venezuela,” Trump said at the Trump International golf course in Ireland. He added that U.S. revenue from Venezuela had “paid for the war many times.”
Donald Trump points to Venezuela as a precedent
Trump’s comparison was to Venezuela, where his administration has pursued a much larger role in the country’s oil industry. He said U.S. revenue from Venezuelan oil had already more than covered the cost of the war.
The administration announced in August that the U.S. had obtained majority control of more than 65 billion barrels of Venezuela’s proven reserves through a private-sector partnership.
Trump wrote on Truth Social: “This Historic Transaction MORE THAN DOUBLES American Oil Reserves, greatly increases our Oil Supply, and will substantially lower Gas Prices for all Americans, long into the future, while helping to continue to set Venezuela on a course toward Tremendous Success and Great Prosperity.”
Venezuela’s interim leader, Delcy Rodriguez, backed the arrangement, saying it could “have a significant impact on our nation’s revival.”
The Iran war has pushed up gas prices
The conflict has continued to put pressure on energy markets, especially after the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
The national average price for regular gasoline reached $4.31 a gallon, according to AAA. The higher prices have also fueled criticism of the war at home.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll released earlier this month found that only about one in four Americans believed the Iran war was worthwhile.
Trump has repeatedly highlighted Iran’s nuclear program when defending the U.S. military campaign.
At a September 11 memorial last week, he said U.S. service members were working to ensure that Iran, which he described as the world’s “number one sponsor of terror,” would never obtain a nuclear weapon.
Trump says Iran is pushing for a deal with the U.S.
Trump also claimed Iran was repeatedly seeking a deal with the United States.
“Iran wants to make a deal so bad. They are calling constantly,” Trump said.
He added, “They want to make a deal. They’ve got to make the right deal. I’m not going to make a deal that’s no good.”
Trump says the war could end after the midterms
Trump made a prediction that the conflict could come to an end around the U.S. midterm elections.
“The war in Iran will end right after − maybe before − but it’ll end right after the midterms,” he told reporters in Ireland.
“Gasoline’s going to drop like a rock, just like it was just before I got − I mean, I knew what I was doing. I had to do it,” the president added.