White House denies US military escorted tanker in Hormuz after deleted post
Al Jazeera
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has walked back a deleted social media claim from Energy Secretary Chris Wright, about a military escort in the strait.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright has posted, then deleted, a claim that the United States military provided protection for an oil tanker travelling through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for the global energy trade.
The White House later addressed the post in a news briefing, affirming that it was false.
The flip-flop happened early on Tuesday afternoon, when Wright posted on social media around 1:02pm US Eastern time (17:00 GMT) a message he then deleted within about a half hour.
Shortly afterwards, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt denied that a military escort had occurred, walking back the post entirely.
“I can confirm that the US Navy has not escorted a tanker or a vessel at this time,” she said. “Though, of course, that’s an option the president has said he will absolutely utilise if and when necessary at the appropriate time.”
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