'US Navy has not escorted a tanker' through Strait of Hormuz: White House after US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright deletes post

The White House confirmed on Tuesday (March 10) that the United States Navy has not escorted any oil tanker through the Strait of Hormuz, despite an earlier social media post by Chris Wright suggesting such an operation had taken place. During a press briefing, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt clarified the situation. “I can confirm that the US Navy has not escorted a tanker or a vessel at this time,” press secretary Karoline Leavitt said during a briefing at the White House. “Though, of course, that’s an option the president has said he will absolutely utilize if and when necessary, at the appropriate time.”

Leavitt added that she had no further details about why Wright posted the now-deleted message claiming a naval escort had already occurred. The White House also addressed concerns over rising energy prices amid the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran. According to Leavitt, the administration believes the current spike in global oil and gas prices will be temporary. “Rest assured to the American people, the recent increase in oil and gas prices is temporary, and this operation will result in lower gas prices in the long term,” she said during the briefing.

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Leavitt did not provide a timeline for when prices could decline but emphasized that the administration is taking steps to ease the energy shock linked to tensions in the region. Those measures include offering insurance support for tankers traveling through the Strait of Hormuz and waiving certain oil-related sanctions. “The US military is drawing up additional operations following the president’s directive to continue keeping the Strait of Hormuz open,” Leavitt said. “I will not broadcast what those options look like, but just know the president is not afraid to use them.”

The White House also clarified how Donald Trump views the idea of “unconditional surrender” by Iran, a phrase the president has repeatedly used when discussing a potential deal with Tehran. “When President Trump says that Iran is in a place of unconditional surrender, he’s not claiming the Iranian regime is going to come out and say that themselves. What the president means is that Iran’s threats will no longer be backed by a ballistic missile arsenal that protects them from building a nuclear bomb in their country,” Leavitt said.

She added, “President Trump will determine when Iran is in a place of unconditional surrender, when they no longer pose a credible and direct threat to the United States of America and our allies.”

Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, US, Gulf nations and non-state actors like Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis, Islamic State, and others. Claims and counterclaims, disinformation and misinformation are being made online and offline. Given this context, WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.