Trump says nations that purchase oil from Iran will be banned from doing business with U.S.

President Trump warned of new secondary oil sanctions against Iran Thursday and described harrowing accounts from freed hostages who were held captive by Hamas terrorists in their attacks on Israel.

“I will tell you that’s an attack that would have never happened because the money was given by Iran to Hamas. Iran had no money when I was president,” Mr. Trump said.

He said, “And in fact, I put sanctions on last night. Any oil that anybody takes from Iran is not allowed to do business in the United States of America.”

Mr. Trump in a Truth Social post wrote that all “purchases of Iranian Oil, or Petrochemical products, must stop, NOW! Any Country or person who buys ANY AMOUNT of OIL or PETROCHEMICALS from Iran will be subject to, immediately, Secondary Sanctions.”

He said, “They will not be allowed to do business with the United States of America in any way, shape, or form.” China is the leading purchaser of Iranian oil.

During his remarks at a National Day of Prayer event, President Trump said Iran was “busted” and had no money during his first term in office.

“They weren’t giving it to Hamas. They weren’t giving it to Hezbollah,” he said.

Mr. Trump also met with the parents of Edan Alexander, the last known living American hostage held by Hamas, and delivered a compassionate message of commitment to returning their son home.

“We don’t know how he’s doing really, do we?” Mr. Trump told Adi and Yael Alexander, who were at the Rose Garden event. “We think we know — and hopefully it’s positive. Two months ago we were pretty sure, and it looked like he was getting out. But they’ve toughened up a little bit. And it’s a terrible thing. I know what you’re going through.”

Edan, a New Jersey resident who moved to Israel in 2022, was among 12 Americans taken hostage by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, during a deadly armed incursion into the Gaza envelope of southern Israel.

Hamas murdered about 1,200 civilians, including more than 40 American citizens, and took 251 more people hostage on that day.

Mr. Trump said that many parents of hostages have seen him at the White House and he has spoken to freed captives as well who described to him their experiences.

“I was with 10 hostages that got out. They came about three weeks ago to the Oval Office right here, and they said to me, it was just terrible,” he said.

“They lived in a pipe. They didn’t really live in a tunnel. They lived in a pipe that was this big,” he said, gesturing. “They could barely breathe. It’s amazing when one was in for 305 days. One was in for over 500 days. But I got them out, though.”

Mr. Trump said he asked the former captives of Hamas if they were ever shown kindness by their captors, such as reassurances that they would be fine, make it home safely or get an extra piece of bread. He said the former hostages never received any such warmth or kindness.

He said one replied, “No, they used to give us a smack on the face.”

“And when I talked to them about the way they suffered, it was incredible,” Mr. Trump said. “In fact, I’d say four or five looked very solid and normal, and four or five looked like they’d been through hell, but they all went through the same hell.”