President Donald Trump pushed back sharply when asked whether the United States might expand its military campaign against Iran by targeting Kharg Island, calling the question “foolish” and arguing that discussing potential operations publicly would make little sense during an ongoing conflict.
The exchange occurred during an interview that aired Friday on “The Brian Kilmeade Show,” a podcast hosted by Fox News personality Brian Kilmeade. During the conversation, Kilmeade raised the possibility of the United States seizing Kharg Island, a key location tied to Iran’s oil exports.
Kilmeade noted that Trump had previously discussed the idea decades earlier in a 1988 interview and asked whether that thinking was now influencing current strategy.
“Are you thinking about taking Kharg Island where 90% of the Iranian oil goes through?” Kilmeade asked. “Do you remember that interview and that school of thought?”
Trump quickly dismissed the premise of the question, saying it was not something a president should discuss openly.
“Yeah, but, Brian, I can’t answer a question like that,” Trump said. “And you shouldn’t ask it. You shouldn’t even be asking it.”
The president emphasized that military strategy involves numerous possibilities, many of which cannot be publicly confirmed or denied while operations are underway. While he did not rule out the idea entirely, he suggested it was far from a top priority at the moment.
“It’s one of so many different things,” Trump said. “It’s not high on the list, but it’s one of so many different things. And I can change my mind in seconds.”
Trump went further, arguing that answering such a question would be irresponsible.
“Who would ask a question like that and what fool would answer it?” he said. “Let’s say I was gonna do it or I wasn’t gonna do it, what would I tell you? ‘Oh, yes, Brian, I’m thinking about doing it. Let me let you know what time and when it will take place.’”
The president also expressed surprise that Kilmeade, whom he called a “smart man,” would press him on such a topic.
Kilmeade responded by clarifying that he had raised the question largely because Trump had discussed the idea decades earlier, suggesting it was notable that the president had been thinking about such geopolitical issues long before entering politics.
Trump acknowledged that he had considered many strategic issues over the years and used the opportunity to point to another example from the past.
“Well, I did, but I thought about a lot of other things,” Trump said.
He then referenced remarks he said he made about Osama bin Laden before the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.
“You know what else I thought about a long time before it happened?” Trump said. “One year before it happened, almost exactly, is Osama Bin Laden. I said, you have to go out and kill Osama Bin Laden. He’s big trouble. Kill him. Nobody did anything. A year later he knocked down the World Trade Center.”
The discussion came amid broader debate about the direction of the ongoing conflict with Iran, which began after joint U.S. and Israeli strikes earlier this year. Questions about potential escalation—whether through new targets or expanded operations—have become increasingly common as the war continues.
Earlier this week, Kilmeade himself suggested during a Fox News appearance that targeting Kharg Island could disrupt Iran’s regime.
“I would love to see them take Kharg Island—that oil island,” he said. “Just like Venezuela, we control their oil. Ninety percent of their oil goes to this little island. I think he should grab it.”
For now, however, Trump signaled that such decisions remain part of a broader strategic calculation that he is not prepared to discuss publicly. His response underscored the reality that wartime decisions often involve possibilities that leaders prefer to keep out of public debate—even as questions about the scope and future of the conflict continue to grow.
