- Trump said he would consider stopping oil purchases from U.S. allies
- The deal breaker would be if they provided troops to fight Islamic State
- He also said he would put America first in foreign policy strategy
Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump told the New York Times he would consider stopping U.S. oil purchases from Saudi Arabia unless the Saudi government provide troops to fight Islamic State.
Trump's comment Friday was included in a lengthy foreign policy interview published by the newspaper on Saturday and came in response to a question about whether, if elected president, he would halt oil purchases from U.S. allies unless they provided on-the-ground forces against Islamic State.
'The answer is, probably yes,' Trump said, according to a transcript.
Scroll down for video
Donald Trump told the New York Times he would consider stopping U.S. oil purchases from Saudi Arabia unless the Saudi government provide troops to fight Islamic State
The Donald also said that he would always put America first and re-iterated what he has made clear throughout the campaign - that the country will not be 'ripped off anymore'
Trump has said the United States should be reimbursed by the countries it provides protection for, even those with vast resources such as Saudi Arabia, a top oil exporter.
'And yet, without us, Saudi Arabia wouldn't exist for very long,' Trump told the Times.
Trump also named in the interview retired Major General Gary Harrell, Major General Bert Mizusawa and retired Rear Admiral Charles Kubic as additional foreign policy advisors to the five named earlier this week who were criticized as obscure.
Trump has faced questions about his reluctance to reveal who was advising his campaign.
He told the Times he was willing to rethink traditional U.S. alliances should he become president
Trump has said the United States should be reimbursed by the countries it provides protection for, even those with vast resources such as Saudi Arabia, a top oil exporter. Pictured, Saudi King Salman
The Republican front-runner also spoke about how he believed the America has become a 'diluted power' and the country was at its peak 116 years ago at the turn of the 20th century.
He cited generals Douglas MacArthur and George S. Patton as his favorite figures in American history - although he stopped short of advocating nuclear weapons as a last resort.
Trump also did not rule out spying on American allies - including leaders like Angela Merkel - but told the newspaper that the German chancellor's handling of the migrant crisis has been poor.
He said he believed that Germany and the Gulf nations should pay for the 'safe zones' he wants to set up for refugees in Syria.
The Donald also said that he would always put America first and re-iterated what he has made clear throughout the campaign - that the country will not be 'ripped off anymore'.
#1: Justified To: cranky (#0)
I know we buy oil from Mexico, Canada and Venezuela.
Justified posted on 2016-03-27 11:00:35 Reply Private Reply
#2: Tooconservative To: Justified (#1)
Business Insider, 2013: MAP: Where Each US Region Gets Its Oil Imports
It varies by region in the U.S. So it isn't as simple as just listing a few countries.
In 2013, these five countries supplied 72% of America's oil: Canada, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Venezuela, and Iraq (Iraq displaced Nigeria in the list).
Everyone always forgets Canada is a huge oil supplier for America, bigger than the Saudis and Mexico combined.
Tooconservative posted on 2016-03-27 11:30:00 Reply Private Reply
#3: Justified To: TooConservative (#2)
They always talk about US exporting oil to other countries and im thinking why when we still import oil?
Justified posted on 2016-03-27 11:50:44 Reply Private Reply
#4: Stoner To: cranky (#0)
About time someone started thinking that way. Sounds like a good policy to me, one we have needed for a very long time !
Stoner posted on 2016-03-27 11:58:07 Reply Private Reply
#5: buckeroo To: Stoner (#4)
When government interferes with a free market economy (Laissez-faire) we get what we have today in the USA; it is controlled by the US government with protected large, international conglomerates ensuring the supply side of distribution. That means price controls are already in effect to ensure the wealth of the owners.
buckeroo posted on 2016-03-27 12:05:36 Reply Private Reply
#6: cranky To: Stoner (#4)
I agree.
Whatever leverage there is in being the world's largest (or second largest) consumer should be exploited.
cranky posted on 2016-03-27 12:11:21 Reply Private Reply
#7: Tooconservative To: Justified (#3)
It changes every few years. Nigeria was high on the list until a few years ago. Now the Saudis are undercutting their price (and everyone else's) and so Saudi imports have risen as other countries have declined.
Once the Saudis strangle our domestic crude in west Texas and North Dakota, their price will increase and the rankings will change again.
Tooconservative posted on 2016-03-27 12:43:44 Reply Private Reply