Trump on Wednesday made big claims about the United States secretly helping move millions of barrels of oil through the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route that has largely been closed to normal commercial traffic because of the ongoing conflict with Iran.
However, the operation may not have been as secret as Trump suggested. According to a senior US military official cited by The New York Times, the effort involved US Central Command quietly guiding commercial vessels through the strait, and details of the operation had already been reported publicly last month.
Speaking during a signing ceremony at the White House on Wednesday, Trump said the United States had quietly carried out the operation over the past several weeks. He later repeated the claims in a post on Truth Social.
According to Trump, he ordered the US military to support commercial vessels and oil tankers travelling through the strait. “Last month, I directed our Great US Military to execute a secret mission to support Oil Tankers and other Commercial Ships through the Strait of Hormuz,” Trump wrote.
He claimed the operation helped move more than 100 million barrels of oil through the Hormuz and into global markets. Trump wrote that the effort resulted in “more than 100 MILLION Barrels of Oil making its way through the Strait, and into the Open Market.”
Claim of nighttime tanker movements
While speaking in the Oval Office, Trump shared additional details about the operation. He claimed that 22 ships were moved through the strait during nighttime hours without lights.
According to Trump, this was possible because Iranian radar systems had been damaged during US military strikes. “We blasted the crap out of it,” Trump said.
The president also claimed that over 200 commercial ships had safely passed through the strategic waterway. “This wildly successful effort is because the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA CONTROLS the Strait of Hormuz, NOT Iran. Their military is defeated, and their economy is lost,” Trump said.
According to Trump, the mission allowed massive quantities of oil to leave the region despite the continuing tensions around the Strait of Hormuz.
However, that figure could not be independently verified.
What officials say was actually happening
Speaking to the NYT, a senior US military official said Trump was referring to an American effort to help commercial ships safely pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
The operation involved the US military guiding vessels through the strategically important waterway, which has become dangerous during the ongoing conflict with Iran. Although the effort was carried out quietly, officials suggested it was not as secret as Trump’s comments made it sound.
However, one unusual part of the operation involved ships switching off their transponders while travelling through the strait. Transponders normally allow vessels to broadcast their location and movements. According to officials, ships guided by the United States turned them off to reduce the chances of being detected while crossing the narrow waterway.
Even so, the operation had already been reported publicly. Late last month, The New York Times revealed that US Central Command had helped guide around 70 commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz.
That report meant the effort was already known outside government circles before Trump’s remarks on Wednesday.
More than 200 ships have now crossed
According to the military official, the number of vessels that have passed through the strait with US assistance has now climbed to more than 200 in just over a month. Even with those crossings, traffic remains far below normal levels.
Before the conflict disrupted shipping, around 3,000 vessels typically moved through the Strait of Hormuz every month. The waterway remains one of the world’s most important routes for oil shipments and international trade.
US officials have not revealed exactly what types of ships were guided through the strait or the specific routes they used. However, speaking to the NYT, one official indicated that at least one route stayed away from Iran’s coastline.
Ships that pass close to Iranian territory without permission risk coming under attack from Iranian drones or missiles. Shipping experts believe the vessels being guided by the United States are likely using routes closer to Oman, which are considered safer.
While US officials have acknowledged efforts to help commercial vessels navigate the Strait of Hormuz, many details remain undisclosed.
The government has not publicly identified the ships involved, the exact routes they followed, or how much oil was actually transported as a result of the operation.