President Donald Trump claims the US has secretly smuggled 100 million barrels of oil out of the Strait of Hormuz despite Iran’s iron grip on the strategic waterway – but his own energy secretary contradicted him within hours.
- Trump told reporters the US military moved oil through Hormuz ‘with no lights’ on ships Iran ‘can’t see’
- Energy Secretary Chris Wright said he was unaware of any such covert oil operation
- Shipping trackers recorded far fewer vessels transiting the strait than Trump’s claims would require
- The Strait of Hormuz handles 20% of global energy flows but has been heavily restricted since March
- Iran now charges transit fees, turning the waterway into what critics call an ‘illegal toll booth’
The Bold Presidential Claims
Trump sat in the Oval Office on Wednesday boasting to reporters that America has been secretly extracting millions of barrels from the contested waterway. ‘We took out the other night 22 ships late at night with no lights, because they don’t have any radar, because we blasted the crap out of it,’ he declared, referring to Iranian infrastructure.
The president later doubled down on Truth Social, claiming the military pulled out a staggering 100 million barrels – roughly five days of pre-war shipping volumes. ‘UNITED STATES of AMERICA CONTROLS the Strait of Hormuz – NOT Iran,’ Trump wrote triumphantly.
The Energy Secretary’s Bombshell Denial
Yet within hours, Energy Secretary Chris Wright sat before Congress and delivered a crushing blow to Trump’s narrative. ‘I was not aware of the US taking millions of barrels of oil out through the Strait of Hormuz,’ Wright told lawmakers, though he acknowledged the military had assisted some vessels.
Wright stressed the ships involved were not Iranian-owned, but belonged to Gulf allies like Saudi Arabia, UAE and Qatar – a detail that gutted Trump’s claim of a covert American operation.
The Numbers Simply Don’t Add Up
Before the war erupted in March, approximately 140 vessels – carrying roughly 20 million barrels daily – transited the Hormuz chokepoint between Iran and Oman. Trump’s 100 million barrel claim would require around 700 ships to pass through.
Shipping intelligence firms paint a different picture. Windward recorded just 80 commercial ships leaving the Gulf in five weeks; Lloyd’s List counted 142; Kpler’s highest estimate reached 264 transits. None come remotely close to the traffic Trump’s figures demand.
Iran’s New Economic Stranglehold
Since March, when the US and Israel launched military operations against Tehran, Iran has transformed the Strait into a revenue stream. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps now charges transit fees – essentially converting geographic control into cold, hard cash.
Countries like Pakistan, India and Russia have paid these charges in various currencies, including Chinese yuan. But most Western shipping firms avoid Iran’s toll system entirely, fearing sanctions exposure, legal complications and reputational damage.
The Toll Booth Problem
‘Iran appears to be attempting to convert its geographic leverage into financial leverage,’ explained Oscar Seikaly, CEO of NSI Insurance Group. ‘Control the chokepoint, then charge for access.’
Seikaly revealed that a massive crude carrier blocked in the strait costs nearly $100,000 daily to operate. A 100-day delay alone could cost $10 million – before accounting for cargo financing, insurance, crew and contractual penalties. For many operators, paying Iran’s fee proves cheaper than waiting.
The Control Question
CENTCOM spokesperson Tim Hawkins confirmed US forces ‘communicate and coordinate’ with commercial vessels but refused to elaborate on the extent of America’s role in moving oil through contested waters.
What remains clear is this: the Strait of Hormuz remains firmly within Iran’s grip, regardless of Trump’s theatrical boasts about American dominance. The waterway that carries one-fifth of global energy continues to function largely on Tehran’s terms – and at Tehran’s price.
Source: CelebBNews.info
