Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) on Thursday threw his weight behind President Trump's threat to seize Iran's Kharg Island, a strategic oil hub that handles roughly 90 percent of the country's crude exports. In a social media post, Graham declared the move would be the “ultimate game changer” and urged the administration to follow through if diplomatic efforts continue to stall.
“President Trump’s announcement today that it may be time to take Kharg Island is welcome news and would be the ultimate game changer,” Graham wrote. He argued that combining a forced reopening of the Strait of Hormuz with military control or a blockade of Kharg Island would give Washington the leverage needed to end the conflict on favorable terms.
The island, located in the Persian Gulf, is Iran’s primary export terminal for crude oil, making it a critical economic and strategic asset. Trump earlier posted on Truth Social that “at some point in the not too distant future, we will be taking Kharg Island, and other oil infrastructure points, and assume total control of their Oil and Gas Markets.” He drew a parallel to the U.S. approach in Venezuela, claiming it is “working out brilliantly.”
In a subsequent Fox News interview, Trump said the U.S. military is prepared to launch a “bigger, more powerful” attack than the previous day’s strikes, which he claimed involved “$250 million worth of bombs.” He added that the Iranian regime is “really in submission. They just don’t know it yet.” These remarks follow Trump's escalation of threats against Iran in recent days.
Graham, a longtime hawk on Iran, has consistently backed the administration’s military operations but also stressed that any eventual deal with Tehran must undergo congressional review. “If there is no deal soon Mr. President, you are right to put on the table the taking of Kharg Island,” he wrote, while noting that the regime has proven to be “not a reliable partner in these negotiations.”
The senator’s full-throated support comes amid a broader debate within the GOP over the wisdom of seizing Iranian territory. Some lawmakers, like House Speaker Mike Johnson, have downplayed the threat as mere “details,” as reported in Johnson's dismissal of the Kharg Island plan. Meanwhile, Graham has also been active on other foreign policy fronts, including backing Trump's push to expand the Abraham Accords even as Iran talks continue.
The prospect of seizing Kharg Island represents a dramatic escalation in the U.S.-Iran standoff. Control of the terminal would effectively cut off Tehran’s main revenue stream, potentially crippling its economy and forcing concessions. However, such a move also risks a broader military confrontation in the region, with Iran vowing to retaliate against any attack on its territory or infrastructure.
Graham’s post concluded with a call for a diplomatic off-ramp but made clear his patience is wearing thin. “I very much appreciate @POTUS and his team going the extra mile to obtain a diplomatic solution,” he wrote. “It is apparent to me that the regime is not a reliable partner in these negotiations and that at every turn they create provocation believing it gives them more leverage.”
