A decades-old television interview has emerged showing Donald Trump advocating for American ground forces to invade Iran and seize its petroleum infrastructure nearly 40 years before launching his current military campaign against Tehran.
The 1987 footage, filmed when the now-president was 41 years old, captures him urging Washington to “go in and grab one of their big oil installations” whilst discussing Iranian aggression during the Reagan administration.
“Why couldn’t we go in and take over some of their oil which is along the sea?” Mr Trump asked the interviewer. “Let them have Iran – you take their oil, that’s what I’d do.”
When questioned whether such action would trigger conflict, the businessman-turned-politician insisted war would occur regardless through perceived weakness. “You can have a war by being weak. You’re going to have a war and it’s going to start in the Middle East,” he predicted.
The resurfaced material gains particular significance as Mr Trump currently considers ground operations to secure uranium stockpiles from deep within Iranian territory, potentially preventing nuclear weapons development.
His 1987 remarks advocated precisely the strategy he now appears prepared to implement. “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,” he stated.
The President revealed last night that Tehran must surrender its enriched uranium to conclude hostilities. “They are decimated right now. They’re going to give up nuclear weapons. They’re going to give us the nuclear dust,” he declared, claiming Iranian leadership would soon accept terms.
US officials informed the Wall Street Journal that Mr Trump is evaluating a special forces operation to extract 1,000 pounds of uranium from Iranian facilities, though Washington stressed no final decision has been made. The USS Tripoli carrying 3,500 personnel has been deployed to the region.
Speaking to the Financial Times, Mr Trump confirmed petroleum seizure remains his preferred outcome. “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,” he stated.
Kharg Island—handling the majority of Iranian crude exports—has emerged as the potential target. “Maybe we take Kharg Island, maybe we don’t. We have a lot of options,” Mr Trump said. “It would also mean we had to be there for a while. I don’t think they have any defence. We could take it very easily.”
The operation would directly undermine Tehran’s revenue streams and capacity to fund regional militant proxies.
