USA: Lethal attack on Iran 'proportionate' after Saudi Arabia oil strike - Trump

*NO CUTAWAYS AT SOURCE* *BUG AT SOURCE*
SOT, Journalist: "If you look at what’s happening with respect to the stock market, it’s been holding pretty firm, considering what happened with respect to Saudi Arabia. But I think we’re doing very well."
SOT, Journalist: "Mike Pompeo is very certain Iran is behind the attack, and you’re not. Why does he know more than you?"
Donald Trump, US President: "I think we’re the same. I think we just want to find out the final numbers and see. You look at a vector, and you look at, there are lots of different things we can look at, David. And we’ll know for certain over the next pretty short period of time."
Journalist: "If you become sure, are we going to see military action?"
Donald Trump, US President: "Well, then we’re going to decide."
Journalist: "After the drone downing, you said it wouldn’t be proportionate to do a lethal strike on Iran where you kill a bunch of people for the drone."
Donald Trump, US President: "Say it again, louder."
Journalist: "After the drone was shot down in June, you said it wouldn’t be proportionate to do a lethal strike that would kill people. An attack on an oil facility, even though it’s big."
Donald Trump, US President:"Would this be proportionate? Is that what you’re asking? I would say yes. I would say. So, I don’t know who’s going to New Mexico with me, but I’ll see you on the plane."
Journalist: "Mr. President, can you trust Saudi Arabia on Iran, since they lied to you about Khashoggi?"
Donald Trump, US President: "Can I what?"
Journalist: "Can you trust Saudi Arabia when it comes to what they say about Iran?"
Donald Trump, US President: "Oh, I think so. Look, they want to find out also. And I think they probably feel they know. But we’re going to know very, very quickly. We have pretty much all the material we need. We’ll know very quickly."
SOT, Journalist: "Oil went up $15 today. How concerned are you about that?"
Donald Trump, US President: "Well, we have the strategic, if you look at what we have, we have tremendous amounts of oil in our country. We’re independent of everybody now. We have more than anybody else. We’re the number-one energy producer in the world, which took place very recently. And we will soon be substantially more than anybody else. So it won’t affect us. And ultimately, I don’t think it will affect the world either. But it won’t affect the United States."
Journalist: "Are you worried about it affecting the economy?"
Donald Trump, US President: "I don’t think so. No, I think it’s going to be fine."
SCRIPT
Washington would not rule out 'a lethal strike' on Iran after the latter’s alleged involvement in carrying out a drone strike on Saudi Arabia’s oil facilities, according to US President Donald Trump speaking on the White House lawn before departing for a New Mexico rally, in Washington DC on Monday.
"I would say yes," said Trump answering a reporter’s question as to whether a 'lethal strike' would be 'proportionate' to the attack on the oil facility.
Trump brushed off concerns of rising oil prices after the drone attack left half of Saudi Arabia’s oil reserves disrupted.
"We have tremendous amounts of oil in our country. We’re independent of everybody now. We have more than anybody else. We’re the number-one energy producer in the world, which took place very recently. And we will soon be substantially more than anybody else. So it won’t affect us," said Trump.
The drone attacks took place on September 14 at an oil processing facility in Abqaiq and the Khurais oil field, effectively disrupting half of Saudi Arabia's oil reserves. Houthi militants operating in Yemen claimed responsibility for the attack. However, US authorities have accused Iran of the attacks, which Iran has rejected.