While visiting Doonbeg, Ireland, President Trump proposed the idea that the United States might 'stay and keep the oil' in Iran. The President’s comments were made to reporters during his trip, where he also predicted that current tensions between the U.S. and Iran would reach a resolution following the midterm elections. Trump suggested that the Iranian government is interested in reaching an agreement.

To contextualize his proposal, Trump compared the potential strategy in Iran to the U.S.'s current oil deal with Venezuela. The remarks have drawn attention due to the implications of seizing foreign natural resources as a component of military or diplomatic strategy. While the President framed the idea as a possibility, he did not provide specific details on how such an operation would be executed or the legal framework that would support it. The administration has not yet released a formal policy document outlining a plan to seize or manage Iranian oil assets, leaving the proposal as a stated idea rather than an official directive.