A claim that the US Navy had escorted an oil tanker through the Strait of Hormuz has been denied by the White House after it was posted by the US Energy Secretary Chris Wright.
The claim appeared in a post on X but was later deleted. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the information was incorrect and confirmed that no such escort had taken place.
“The U.S. Navy has not escorted a tanker or vessel at this time,” Leavitt said during a news conference when she was asked about Wright’s post.
What the deleted post claimed
In the now-deleted post, Wright wrote that the Navy had already escorted a tanker through the key shipping route.
“The U.S. Navy successfully escorted an oil tanker through the Strait of Hormuz to ensure oil remains flowing to global markets.”
Leavitt said she had seen the post but had not yet spoken directly with Wright about it.
“I was made aware of this post,” she said. “I haven’t had a chance to talk to the energy secretary about it directly.”
“However, I know the post was taken down pretty quickly,” she added.
Energy Department explains deletion
Later on Tuesday, a spokesperson for the US Department of Energy said the post was removed because it had been labeled incorrectly by staff.
“A video clip was deleted from Secretary Wright’s official X account after it was determined to be incorrectly captioned by Department of Energy staff.”
The spokesperson also said the administration is watching the situation closely and preparing possible options to keep the shipping route open.
“President Trump, Secretary Wright, and the rest of the President’s energy team are closely monitoring the situation, speaking with industry leaders, and having the U.S. military draw up additional options to keep the Strait of Hormuz open, including the potential for our Navy to escort tankers.”
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Escorting tankers still an option
Although the claim was incorrect, Karoline Leavitt said escorting oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz remains possible if needed.
“The commander in chief has offered the U.S. Navy to escort tankers when necessary,” she said.
“The president and his energy team are closely watching the markets, speaking with industry leaders, and the U.S. military is drawing up additional options following the president’s directive to continue keeping the Strait of Hormuz open. I will not broadcast what those options look like, but just know the president is not afraid to use them.”
Oil prices dropped by more than 17% after the incorrect post appeared. Officials have also given mixed messages about the conflict with Iran. Donald Trump called it a “little excursion” and said objectives were “pretty well complete,” while Pete Hegseth said the operation is only beginning.
