White House denies U.S. Navy escorted oil tanker through Strait of Hormuz after Energy Secretary's deleted social media post
Energy Secretary Chris Wright posted on social media that the U.S. Navy had successfully escorted an oil tanker through the Strait of Hormuz, then deleted the post within approximately 30 minutes. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed during a briefing that no escort had occurred, though she said it remains an option. The incident occurred amid the ongoing U.S.-Israel war with Iran that began on February 28, 2026, which has disrupted shipping through the strait.
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No left-right split here
Coverage clusters in the center and international press. Here is each take as it stands.
“White House says US Navy hasn't escorted any tankers through the Strait of Hormuz”
“White House denies US military escorted tanker in Hormuz after deleted post”
“US official: 'Not true' Navy successfully escorted oil tanker through Strait of Hormuz”
“White House says US has not escorted oil tanker through Strait of Hormuz despite now-deleted claim”
“Greek Oil Tanker Exits Strait of Hormuz With Its Signal Off”