Trump reportedly thinks 'we're idiots' if we don't take Iraq's oil as repayment for the war

President Trump has long suggested the United States take Iraq's oil as a sort of involuntary thank-you gift for our generous willingness to invade and establish a long-term military occupation. "You heard me, I would take the oil," he told The Wall Street Journal back in 2011. "You're not stealing anything. We're reimbursing ourselves."

Since taking office, Axios reported Sunday, Trump has not dropped the idea. He has reportedly mentioned it twice in meetings with Iraq's prime minister, much to the dismay of his top defense and national security advisers.

"It was a very run-of-the-mill, low-key meeting in general," an unnamed source told Axios of a March 2017 conversation with Iraq's then-prime minister, Haider al-Abadi. "And then right at the end, Trump says something to the effect of, he gets a little smirk on his face, and he says, 'So what are we going to do about the oil?'" Later that year, Trump reportedly raised the issue again in a call with al-Abadi.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Defense Secretary James Mattis and former National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster both pushed back on Trump's plan, Axios sources said, telling Trump it would be illegal under international law, bad for alliances, and terrible for America's reputation. Trump was unfazed, reportedly declaring "we're idiots" if we don't take the oil.

The Pentagon and National Security Council declined to comment to Axios for the report.