President Donald Trump claimed Wednesday that the U.S. secretly transported over 100 million barrels of oil through the Strait of Hormuz despite Iranian restrictions. While Trump cited a covert military operation involving 22 ships, shipping data and U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright have raised doubts about the scale of the operation.
Discrepancies in the 100 Million Barrel Claim
Trump asserted in the White House that the U.S. successfully moved millions of barrels of oil through the Strait of Hormuz without Tehran noticing. He later expanded this claim on Truth Social, stating the U.S. military conducted a secret operation to assist tankers and commercial vessels, moving more than 100 million barrels through the strait to prove U.S. control over the waterway.
“A few nights ago, we escorted 22 ships at night without lights. They had no radars because we destroyed their infrastructure.”
Donald Trump, via 24ur.com
The numbers do not align with maritime tracking data. According to analysis reported by 24ur.com, moving 100 million barrels would require approximately 700 ship passages, roughly equivalent to five days of normal pre-war traffic. Current data from specialized tracking firms shows a fraction of that volume.
- Windward: Approximately 80 commercial ships departed the Persian Gulf in the last five weeks.
- Lloyd’s List: Estimates 142 ship passages since March.
- Kpler: Records 264 passages.
Even the highest estimate from Kpler falls significantly short of the volume needed to support a 100-million-barrel transit.
Contradictions Between the White House and Energy Department
The administration’s internal narrative is fractured. During congressional testimony on the same day, Energy Secretary Chris Wright stated he was unaware of any operation involving the transport of millions of barrels of oil through the strait. While Wright confirmed that the U.S. military provided support to some vessels, he did not verify the quantities claimed by the president.
This gap in communication suggests a disconnect between the political rhetoric regarding the covert military assistance and the actual operational data held by the Energy Department.
The 172 Million Barrel Reserve Release
While the covert operation remains disputed, the administration is taking a more transparent route to lower energy costs. Trump announced Wednesday in Cincinnati that he would release U.S. strategic oil reserves. Energy Secretary Chris Wright confirmed an initial release of 172 million barrels, a move aligned with International Energy Agency (IEA) efforts to stabilize prices following the outbreak of war in the Middle East.
“Now we will slightly reduce the reserves, which will lower prices.”
Donald Trump, via dnevnik.si
The move marks a reversal in Trump’s political positioning, as he previously criticized Joe Biden for using strategic reserves to manage gasoline prices. This shift drew a sharp response from Senate Democratic Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.
“Trump is doing what I called on him to do three days ago, after he unnecessarily caused additional confusion and uncertainty. So far, he has already created far more problems than this will solve – from the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz to his badly planned and ill-considered war.”
Chuck Schumer, via dnevnik.si
The Financial and Geopolitical Cost of the Iran Conflict
The conflict with Iran has carried a heavy price tag. Pentagon officials informed members of Congress that the first week of the war cost the United States $11.3 billion. Despite these costs and Trump’s claims of victory—including assertions in Kentucky that the U.S. has already won the war—the geopolitical reality of the Strait of Hormuz remains contested.
While Trump claims U.S. control, reports indicate that Iran continues to exercise significant leverage. Several nations, including Russia, India, and Pakistan, reportedly coordinate their shipping directly with Iranian authorities. Some vessels allegedly pay special transit fees collected by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Tehran maintains that the strait is not an international waterway but an area under the joint control of Iran and Oman. This “unofficial tolling” of a critical energy artery suggests that regardless of covert U.S. escorts, Iran retains a functional economic grip on the region’s most vital chokepoint.
