By Emmanuel Bobby
President Donald Trump on Monday did not rule out the possibility that the United States could eventually acquire or take control of Iranian oil as the war with Iran continues, though he said it was too early to discuss such a move.
Trump declined to say directly whether he would support seizing Iran’s oil resources but acknowledged that the idea has been raised.
“Certainly people have talked about it,” Trump said during a phone interview.
The president pointed to recent U.S. actions in Venezuela as an example. In January, U.S. forces carried out a raid that captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, after which the Trump administration moved to secure access to the country’s oil reserves. During his State of the Union address last month, Trump said the United States had already obtained more than 80 million barrels of Venezuelan oil.
“You look at Venezuela,” Trump said. “People have thought about it, but it’s too soon to talk about that.”
Any attempt by the United States to take control of Iranian oil could have major geopolitical consequences. Roughly 80% of Iran’s crude oil exports are shipped to China, the world’s second-largest economy and a major strategic rival of the United States.
The comments come as global oil prices surged past $100 a barrel over the weekend amid the escalating conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran. Iran is the world’s ninth-largest oil producer, accounting for about 5% of global output.
During the interview, Trump also addressed several other topics, including Iran’s new supreme leader, a voting bill pending in Congress and his attendance at a ceremony honoring American service members killed in the war.
When asked whether he would endorse Senator John Cornyn of Texas or his primary challenger, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, Trump avoided taking sides.
“I’m focused on one thing, and that’s the vote” on the SAVE America Act, Trump said.
The legislation would require proof of citizenship nationwide to register to vote and impose additional election rules. While the measure has passed the House of Representatives, it faces a difficult path in the Senate, where it lacks the 60 votes required to overcome a filibuster.
Asked whether Congress would ultimately approve the bill, Trump responded, “I don’t know.”
“Nobody is doing much on it,” he added. “And until they do, I’m not doing anything.”
Pressed on whether that meant he would refuse to sign other legislation until the measure passes, Trump repeated his stance.
“I’m not doing anything until they get it done,” he said.
A White House official later clarified that the president would still sign legislation to fund the Department of Homeland Security if such a bill reached his desk.
Trump also criticized Iran’s decision to appoint Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as the country’s new supreme leader after the elder Khamenei was killed in an airstrike at the start of the conflict.
“I think they made a big mistake,” Trump said. “I don’t know if it’s going to last. I think they made a mistake.”
Over the weekend, Trump attended a dignified transfer ceremony at an air base in Dover, Delaware, where the remains of six U.S. service members killed in the war were returned to the United States. Wearing a “USA” baseball cap, he saluted as the flag-draped containers arrived and later met privately with the families of the fallen troops.
“They are great people,” Trump said. “It’s always tough.”
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