Did US sneak 100 million barrels of oil out of Hormuz, as Trump claims?

Key Points:

• President Donald Trump claimed the US has been secretly escorting millions of barrels of oil through the Strait of Hormuz despite Iranian restrictions, attributing stable oil prices to this effort.
• Trump stated the US military conducted covert operations to support commercial ships, asserting control over the strait and claiming that over 200 ships have safely transited, moving approximately 100 million barrels of oil.
• Energy Secretary Chris Wright contradicted Trump’s claim, acknowledging some military assistance but denying awareness of millions of barrels being moved, and clarifying that vessels passing were not Iranian.
• Independent shipping data indicates far fewer vessels have transited the strait since tensions escalated, with numbers significantly below pre-war levels, and many ships have passed with Iranian authorization and toll payments.
• Despite US naval blockades, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps maintains control over the strait, imposing fees for passage, which some ships pay despite legal and reputational risks, viewing it as an economic chokepoint and financial leverage.