The White House has acknowledged that a claim circulating online suggesting the U.S. Navy escorted an oil tanker through the Strait of Hormuz was incorrect.
On Tuesday, March 10, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that the U.S. military had not escorted any commercial vessel through the strategic waterway, clarifying the official position shortly after the online claim surfaced.
Leavitt’s remarks came after U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright posted on social media platform X, then deleted, a suggestion that the U.S. Navy had escorted an oil tanker through the strait.
She said the information in the post was inaccurate and confirmed that no such escort had taken place.
“I was made aware of this post. 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, and I can confirm that the U.S. Navy has not escorted a tanker or a vessel at this time,” the secretary said during a White House press briefing.
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Leavitt, however, said that the possibility of military escorts for tankers through the strait is still on the table.
“That’s an option the President has said he will absolutely utilize if and when necessary, at the appropriate time.”
Wright originally wrote Tuesday that “The U.S. Navy successfully escorted an oil tanker through the Strait of Hormuz to ensure oil remains flowing to global markets.”
Following Wright’s post, oil prices initially plummeted, fluctuated further after the post’s deletion, and responded again to Leavitt’s clarifying comments.
Asked whether any action has been taken against the staffer who may have erroneously posted the deleted comment, the White House Press Secretary referred the reporter to the Energy Department.
An Energy Department spokesperson later blamed staff for the “incorrectly captioned” post, according to The Hill.
“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 said in an email.
Strategic Strait of Hormuz under pressure
The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most critical energy transit routes, carrying roughly 20 percent of global oil supplies.
Oil shipments from countries including Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and the United Arab Emirates pass through the narrow channel linking the Persian Gulf to international waters.
Tensions in the Strait have risen during the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran.
Earlier, President Donald Trump said U.S. forces had destroyed 10 vessels suspected of laying naval mines in the shipping corridor.
He said the vessels had been targeted as part of efforts to prevent attempts to disrupt maritime traffic in the region.
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The president had earlier said that the United States military is monitoring suspected mine-laying operations and targeting vessels believed to be involved.
“If Iran has put out any mines in the Hormuz Strait, and we have no reports of them doing so, we want them removed, IMMEDIATELY! If for any reason mines were placed, and they are not removed forthwith, the military consequences to Iran will be at a level never seen before.”
Last week, President Trump indicated that escort operations might be considered if threats to shipping were to increase, signaling continued attention to developments in the Strait.
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