Donald Trump: We’ll take at least $1.5 trillion worth of oil from Iraq

Presidential hopeful Donald Trump said if he were the President of the United States, he would take at least $1.5 trillion worth of oil from Iraq. Trump made the comments during an ABC interview.

His justification is compensation for the military involvement of the US, US military personnel, and US allies (like the UK). He also said if the US doesn’t take the oil, Iran will come and take it instead.

The US military involvement has so far cost $1.5 trillion, so Trump wants to take at least that much. In addition, he wants to pay each bereaved military family that has lost someone in Iraq several million dollars. He also wants to give more compensation to wounded veterans from the Iraq War.

Moreover, Trump wants members of OPEC to increase production and thereby lower oil/gasoline prices. If things continue the way they are and the US doesn’t do anything about it, gasoline prices will go to $5 or $6 per gallon, he said.

When asked how he plans to convince OPEC to increase oil production, Trump essentially suggested threatening to take away their military protection. For example, Saudi Arabia, the largest oil exporter in the world, is protected by the US military, he said.

When the US military withdrew from Kuwait, it was invaded by Iraq. Subsequently, US troops had to go back in and liberate the country, said Trump.

He then blasted Washington politicians for not coming up with this “great idea” of taking oil from Iraq.

“That’s the problem with a politician. They don’t even think that way. They…have no thought process,” said Trump.

He also claimed this idea generated the “loudest applause yet” from his supporters.