Trump's Kharg Island Strategy and Hawkish Support
The video addresses Trump's reported consideration of occupying or blockading Iran's Kharg Island, a key oil processing hub through which roughly 90% of Iran's oil exports flow, to pressure Iran into reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Ben Shapiro claims that if he were in charge he "would've already moved to take Kharg Island" and would deploy special operators to do so.
Key Points
- Kharg Island is an 8km-long coral island about 26km from mainland Iran that serves as a key processing hub for Iran, through which 90 percent of the country's oil exports typically flow.
- Trump is drawn to the idea of seizing Kharg Island because it would constitute "an economic knockout of the regime" — essentially defunding Tehran.
- Shapiro advocates that "if that requires putting special operators on the ground to do it, I would do it."
- The move would require boots on the ground and could trigger Iranian retaliatory strikes against oil facilities, with administration officials acknowledging "there are big risks" and "big rewards" but that "the president isn't there yet."
- The commentary notes that Trump has discussed seizing Iran's Kharg Island since 1988, challenging media narratives about the idea being recent.