# America’s oldest bad idea about oil

> U.S. oil politics backfired on Ukraine as Trump blames Zelenskyy for price hikes.
- Title: America’s oldest bad idea about oil · The Japan Times
- Summary: U.S. oil politics backfired on Ukraine as Trump blames Zelenskyy for price hikes. Trump blamed Ukraine’s attacks on Russian refineries for oil price spikes…
- Keywords: u.s., oil, trump, zelenskyy, iran, coup, iranian politics, news, politics, world, America, oldest
- Source: The Japan Times — https://japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2026/10/18/world/americas-bad-oil-ideas
- Author: Imran Khalid
- Published: 2026-10-18T07:21:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: u.s., oil, trump, zelenskyy, iran, coup, iranian politics, news, politics, world
## U.S. oil politics
Seventy-three years ago, Washington decided an elected prime minister was bad for the oil market.
## Mohammad Mossadegh nationalized oil
Mohammad Mossadegh nationalized the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company, the forerunner of BP.
## 1953 coup against Mossadegh
In August 1953, Mossadegh was overthrown, and the U.S. played down its role for decades.
## 2013 CIA admission
In 2013, the CIA’s internal history stated the coup was carried out under U.S. foreign policy.
## Trump blames Ukraine
Trump said Ukraine’s attacks on Russian refineries hurt American farmers and ranchers.
## Key takeaway

Trump blamed Ukraine’s attacks on Russian refineries for oil price spikes, ignoring the impact on American farmers.