President Donald Trump floated keeping a US presence in Iran to secure access to its oil reserves, explicitly comparing the idea with an August 2026 arrangement in which the US secured control over roughly 20% of Venezuela’s oil reserves. Trump said that deal had offset war-related expenses multiple times over, suggesting the same model could be considered for Iran. The comments came during a September 13 trip to Doonbeg, Ireland, as energy markets faced renewed volatility after a recent attack on a Saudi pipeline. Iran’s oil infrastructure would offer strategically important leverage: Kharg Island handles approximately 90% of the country’s crude exports and is a major energy chokepoint. Trump suggested the conflict could end by the close of 2026, potentially after the US midterm elections, and predicted gasoline prices would drop sharply once hostilities conclude. The election-linked timeline adds uncertainty because policy decisions could accelerate within a narrow period before or shortly after November.