Trump floats idea to ‘stay and keep the oil’ in Iran, noting Venezuela deal

President Trump on Sunday raised the prospect that U.S. forces could remain in Iran and take control of the country’s oil, describing the idea in the phrase "stay and keep the oil." He made the comment while speaking with reporters in Doonbeg, Ireland.

In his remarks the president compared the notion to what he characterized as a major oil arrangement the United States has had with Venezuela, using that comparison to frame the proposal. The supplied account describes the Venezuela reference as a direct analogy to the Iran comment.

Trump also told reporters he expected the confrontation with Iran to conclude "after the midterm" elections. The source material includes an additional partial quotation about the Iranian regime, but the remainder of that comment was not provided in the account supplied.

Taken together, the remarks link a potential strategy on Iranian oil resources with a political timeline tied to U.S. elections and invoke a prior U.S.-Venezuela oil connection as a precedent. The comments were delivered publicly while the president was abroad and were reported directly from his exchanges with the press in Doonbeg.