‘Me and the Ayatollah’: Trump Suggests He Might Control Strait of Hormuz After Iran War

President Donald Trump suggested that he might help run the Strait of Hormuz once it’s back open following Iranian strikes on tankers that have slowed the shipment of oil.

During a tarmac gaggle with reporters Monday, Trump claimed the U.S. and Iran had agreed on “15 points” to end the war.

“Well, they’re not going to have a nuclear weapon. That’s number one. That’s number one two and three. They will never have a nuclear weapon. They’ve agreed to that,” Trump said.

CNN’s Kaitlan Collins could be heard asking, “What about the Strait of Hormuz? Who’s going to be in control of that?”

“That’ll be opened very soon if this works,” Trump answered.

“How soon?” Collins followed up, with Trump answering, “immediately.”

“And who’s in control of it? Will Iran still be able to control the flow of oil?” Collins asked.

“Uh, be jointly controlled,” Trump said.

When Collins asked, “By who?” Trump answered, “Maybe me. Maybe me. Me and the ayatollah, whoever the ayatollah is, whoever the next ayatollah — Look, and there’ll also be a form of a — a very serious form of regime change,” Trump continued.

“Now, in all fairness, everybody’s been killed from the regime. They’re really starting off. There’s automatically a regime change. But we’re dealing with some people that I find to be very reasonable, very solid. The people within know who they are. They’re very respected. And maybe one of them will be exactly what we’re looking for,” he said.

Trump then compared the ongoing operation in Iran to the U.S. action in Venezuela, where Trump removed strongman Nicolas Maduro from power and has been working with Maduro’s number two, Delcy Rodríguez, even though critics claim that doesn’t constitute a regime change.

“Look at Venezuela, how well that’s working out,” Trump said. “We are doing so well in Venezuela with oil and with the relationship between the president-elect and us. And maybe we find somebody like that in Iran.”

Trump then backtracked on peace with Iran, saying, “I’m not guaranteeing anything. I’m not going to come out here in a week or two weeks and have you all say, ‘Oh, you said —.’ I didn’t say anything. All I’m saying is, we are in the throes of a real possibility of making a deal. And I think if I were a betting man, I’d bet for it. But again, I’m not guaranteeing anything. They want to make a deal very badly.”

Earlier Monday, Iran directly contradicted Trump, with the state-run Fars News Agency reporting, “there has been no direct or indirect contact” with the U.S.

New: The Mediaite One-Sheet "Newsletter of Newsletters"
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!