White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt admitted that the energy secretary’s post was not true.
Donald Trump’s energy secretary briefly sent global oil markets tumbling after posting—and then deleting—a false claim that the U.S. had escorted an oil tanker through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz as part of the Iran war.
In an embarrassing social media blunder, Chris Wright wrote on X on Tuesday that “the U.S. Navy successfully escorted an oil tanker through the Strait of Hormuz to ensure oil remains flowing to global markets” as he praised the president for “maintaining stability of global energy” during the Middle East conflict.The message from Wright, who has earned the nickname “Chris Wrong” among some critics for his occasional social media musings, did not go unnoticed by market analysts before it was deleted minutes later. Crude prices tumbled below $80 a barrel on the announcement, then jumped again after the post was deleted. Asked during her briefing at the White House on Tuesday afternoon, press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters: “Yes, 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, though of course, that’s an option the president has he will absolutely utilize, if and when necessary, at the appropriate time.”Pressed further on whether a staffer was responsible or whether there would be any consequences for the post, Leavitt simply said: “I would refer you to the Department of Energy to answer that question.” The department’s chief spokesperson Ben Dietderich told the Daily Beast: “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. “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,” he said.“You know when you’re putting up posts that can move markets, you need to be clear and you need to be accurate in terms of what you’re putting out there,” observed Fox News host John Roberts.Jennifer Griffin, the national security correspondent for Fox News, also wrote that the statement was “not true,” citing military sources who said no U.S. naval escort had taken place. This was consistent with what General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, had told reporters earlier in the day, when he indicated that the military had not yet been tasked with escorting oil tankers through the Strait. “We’re looking at a range of options there, and we’ll figure out how to solve problems as they come to us,” he said.But this was not the first time Wright had come under fire for his social media bravado. The former energy executive, chosen by Trump in part for his outspoken advocacy of fossil fuels, has occasionally drawn attention for exuberant pro-administration messaging, which often involve posts praising Trump’s energy strategy and touting American oil dominance.“Across the board, his arguments rely on cherry-picked data, outdated assumptions, and misleading framing, all aimed at justifying policies that prop up fossil fuels at the expense of cleaner, cheaper, and more reliable alternatives,” Natural Resources Defense Council author Justin BarrTankers are seen off the coast of the UAE, as Iran vows to fire on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz.The Strait of Hormuz is a 21-mile-wide maritime chokepoint between Iran and Oman, transporting roughly a fifth of the world’s global oil and LNG consumption, making it the world’s most important oil artery. However, global trade has come to a screeching halt amid the conflict as missile attacks on tankers, fears of naval mines, and insurance withdrawals have dramatically reduced commercial traffic This has left the U.S. seeking to calm oil markets, which are concerned that a protracted war could cause a global energy crisis.As gas prices soared, Trump put out a post on Monday night threatening Iran with “fire and fury” if it continued to stop the flow of oil in the Gulf. On Tuesday, he again threatened unprecedented military consequences if Iran had placed mines in the Strait of Hormuz and failed to remove them. “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,” Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Man wanted after pushing 83-year-old, 30-year-old onto train tracks in ManhattanGood Samaritans helped pull them back on the platform, sources said.
Read more »
SAVE America Act: Trump pushing to add ban on mail ballotsPresident Trump is pushing to add a ban on mail ballots to the SAVE America Act. Here’s what to know about the voting bill.
Read more »
Trump’s Pardon Goon Slapped With Ethics Charges Over Threatening LetterJustice Department pardon attorney Ed Martin could lose his law license over the charge.
Read more »
Trump’s Propaganda Goon Accidentally Kneecapped His Big War MessageMAGA media adviser Kari Lake’s frenzied firings are coming back to haunt her.
Read more »
Top Trump Goon Faces New Epstein Files HeadacheNorm Eisen, the former White House ethics czar under Barack Obama, has called for action.
Read more »
Trump Goon Malfunctions On Air When Pressed on Iran WarWitkoff sucked up to the president rather than give a real answer about end goals for the U.S. in Trump’s war with Iran.
Read more »