Trump Says U.S. Could “Take the Oil in Iran”

U.S. President Donald Trump said he could “take the oil in Iran” and seize control of its key export hub, Kharg Island, as the U.S.-Iran war continues, raising global energy market fears and diplomatic uncertainty.

In an interview with the Financial Times, Trump said his “preference would be to take the oil in Iran,” drawing a parallel to a U.S. military operation in Venezuela earlier this year where Washington gained control of that country’s oil industry following the capture of its leader.

The interview marks some of Trump's most direct comments about his thinking on Iran's oil, according to NBC News. He said the U.S. has "a lot of options" and that taking Kharg would mean the U.S. "had to be there for a while."

Trump acknowledged that some in the U.S. question the idea, calling them “stupid people,” but said the option remains on the table. “Maybe we take Kharg Island, maybe we don’t,” he said, adding that any such operation would likely require a prolonged presence.

Kharg Island at the Center of the Plan

Kharg Island, which is responsible for more than 90 percent of Iran's oil exports, also houses an Iranian naval base, according to NBC News and the Straits Times. Asked about the state of Iranian defenses there, Trump said: "I don't think they have any defense. We could take it very easily."

Kharg Island is a linchpin of Iran’s oil exports, handling the vast majority of its crude shipments. U.S. military actions have already targeted military infrastructure on the island, and Trump has previously threatened further strikes on oil facilities if Tehran continues to disrupt shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

Seizing the island would mark a significant escalation in the conflict and could involve deploying ground forces, a move U.S. officials have described as risky given Iran’s missile and drone capabilities.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on March 29 that "our men are waiting for American soldiers to enter on the ground," according to Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency. Clash Report has also covered Trump's threats to Iran's Kharg Island oil hub.

Trump Points to Venezuela

In January, the United States captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and then moved to take more control over the country's oil industry, NBC News reports. Earlier this month, Trump sidestepped a question from NBC about whether he planned to try to take Iran's oil, saying: "You look at Venezuela. People have thought about it, but it's too soon to talk about that."

Trump declined to say whether a ceasefire deal could be reached in the coming days to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20 percent of the world's oil exports pass. "We've got about 3,000 targets left, we've bombed 13,000 targets, and another couple of thousand targets to go," he said. "A deal could be made fairly quickly."

Troops Mass in the Gulf

The president’s remarks come as global oil prices surge amid the war. Brent crude has climbed sharply as markets react to supply threats through the Strait of Hormuz and broader regional instability.

Brent crude traded above $115 a barrel, near its highest level since the war began, the Straits Times reports. The U.S. and Israel have been striking Iran for four weeks, and Iran has retaliated against Israel, U.S. military targets and industrial sites in Gulf allies such as the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.

Additional U.S. troops, including Marines and elements of the 82nd Airborne Division, have been sent to the region, giving Washington more military options even as diplomatic efforts continue through intermediaries such as Pakistan.

The interview came as thousands of U.S. troops massed in the Gulf region, including an amphibious assault team that arrived on March 28. Clash Report has covered the market fallout, including oil prices surging past $105 per barrel and the IEA's decision to release 400 million barrels.