White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday that the U.S. has not escorted any oil tankers or vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, directly contradicting a statement from Energy Secretary Chris Wright just hours before.
“I was made aware of this post. I haven’t had a chance to talk to the energy secretary about it directly,” Leavitt said. “However, I know the post was taken down pretty quickly, and I can confirm that the U.S. Navy has not escorted a tanker or a vessel at this time. Though, of course, that’s an option. The president has said he will absolutely utilize, if and when necessary, at the appropriate time.”
When asked if there would be any consequences for the false information in Wright’s social media post, Leavitt said, “I would defer you to the Department of Energy to answer that question.”