Trump Tells FT He Wanted to 'Take the Oil' in Iran, Eyeing Seizure of Kharg Island Export Hub

In a stark revelation of past strategic thinking, former President Donald Trump told the Financial Times he wanted the U.S. to "take the oil" in Iran, with the specific objective of potentially seizing the critical Kharg Island export terminal. This admission, reported by the FT, exposes a previously unconfirmed level of aggressive intent toward Iran's primary economic lifeline, moving beyond sanctions rhetoric to a direct threat of asset confiscation.

The proposal centered on Kharg Island, Iran's largest and most vital oil export facility in the Persian Gulf. Controlling this hub would have represented an unprecedented escalation, effectively granting the U.S. physical control over a central artery of the Iranian economy. The FT report details this as a stated desire from Trump, framing it as a tangible, if extreme, policy consideration during his administration, rather than mere rhetorical bluster.

The revelation injects a volatile historical precedent into ongoing geopolitical tensions. It signals the kind of high-stakes, resource-focused strategies that were contemplated at the highest levels, raising questions about the boundaries of future economic warfare and the risks of direct confrontation over critical infrastructure. While not an active plan, the acknowledgment itself alters the landscape of perceived threats and possible retaliatory calculations for Iran and its allies.