'I'd do a number on Kharg Island': Trump’s 1988 warning to Iran resurfaces amid ceasefire talks
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "'I'd do a number on Kharg Island': Trump’s 1988 warning to Iran resurfaces amid ceasefire talks")
US President Donald Trump Photograph: (AFP)
Donald Trump’s 1988 remarks on Iran resurface as he pushes for a ceasefire, highlighting decades-long consistency in his stance toward Tehran
As US President Donald Trump pushes for a ceasefire with Iran after nearly a month of conflict, an old interview from 1988 has resurfaced, drawing attention to his long-standing views on Tehran and his belief that it “must pay.” With the US-Israel confrontation with Iran entering its fourth week, Washington is preparing for potential negotiations. A 15-point proposal has reportedly been delivered to Tehran via Pakistan, which has stepped forward as a mediator to help.
At the same time, renewed focus has fallen on Trump’s past remarks, including a 1988 interview with The Guardian and a $95,000 advertisement he funded in 1987 that appeared in major US publications. ‘Stop paying to defend other countries’: Trump’s 1987 message In a full-page ad published in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Boston Globe, Trump sharply criticized US foreign policy during tensions in the Gulf amid the Iran-Iraq war. Under the headline, “There's nothing wrong with America's Foreign Defence Policy that a little backbone can't cure,” he argued that the US was being taken advantage of globally, particularly for escorting oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz.
"We're protecting ships we don't own, carrying oil we don't need, destined for allies who won't help," Trump wrote, singling out Japan and Saudi Arabia. "Make Japan, Saudi Arabia, and others pay for the protection we extend as allies," he wrote further.
Also Read: ‘Will not allow Trump to dictate timeline’: Iran rejects US ceasefire plan, presents counterproposal
‘Make Iran pay’: Trump’s 1988 remarks revisited
In 1988, following the success of his book The Art of the Deal, Trump spoke with journalist Polly Toynbee about politics and global affairs. When asked about Iran, he responded bluntly: “I'd be harsh on Iran.” "I'd be harsh on Iran. They've been beating us psychologically, making us look a bunch of fools. One bullet shot at one of our men or ships and I'd do a number on Kharg Island. I'd go in and take it. Iran can't even beat Iraq, yet they push the United States around," he told the Guardian.
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Decades later, that rhetoric appears to echo current events. US forces recently carried out strikes on Kharg Island, targeting military sites. Trump later said that the US had avoided destroying key oil infrastructure. "Our weapons are the most powerful and sophisticated that the world has ever known, but, for reasons of decency, I have chosen NOT to wipe out the Oil Infrastructure on the Island. However, should Iran, or anyone else, do anything to interfere with the Free and Safe Passage of Ships through the Strait of Hormuz, I will immediately reconsider this decision," he said on Truth Social.
The White House also amplified the resurfaced interview, pointing to it as evidence of Trump’s consistency over the years. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt wrote, "President Trump has been remarkably consistent his entire life on Iran. Anyone who says otherwise has not been paying attention."
Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, the US, Gulf nations, and non-state actors like Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis, Islamic State, and others. Claims and counterclaims, disinformation and misinformation are being made online and offline. Given this context, WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos, and videos.
