President Donald Trump claimed that the United States military has been secretly moving millions of barrels of oil out of Iranian control every night, making the remarks during an Oval Office bill signing ceremony, according to The Independent. He made the claim while responding to new inflation data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics showing prices rose 4.2 percent year-on-year in May. It’s reportedly the highest level in three years.
Trump said inflation would drop once the ongoing war with Iran ends, before telling reporters he had something they did not know. He then said the US had been removing large amounts of oil from Iranian waters under the cover of darkness, suggesting Iran was unaware of the operation until he spoke publicly about it.
Shortly after his remarks, Trump posted on Truth Social, confirming what he had said in the Oval Office, stating, “I directed our Great U.S. Military to execute a secret mission to support Oil Tankers and other Commercial Ships through the Strait of Hormuz.”
Trump says the covert oil operation has kept prices lower than they would otherwise be
Consumer Price Index data released showed the US inflation rate rose 4.2 percent year-on-year in May, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics figures. That is shown as the second consecutive month at that level and the highest reading in three years.
Before the war with Iran began on February 28, the inflation rate stood at 2.4 percent, according to CNBC. Since then, rising energy costs tied to the conflict have pushed up prices at gas stations, grocery stores, and across a range of consumer goods.
When asked to respond to the inflation numbers, Trump said, “I love it; the numbers were great, you know what I really love? I love the inflation.” He then claimed the figures would improve once the war ends, adding that he wanted to share something reporters did not already know.
Trump claimed that 22 ships were sent out at night with no lights to remove oil, saying the operation was possible because Iranian radar systems had been destroyed. “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 said.
He suggested the operation has been keeping oil prices lower than they would otherwise be, saying prices are at “$85, $90 a barrel, instead of $250” because of the millions of barrels being moved through the Strait of Hormuz each night. Iran has also been launching drone and missile attacks on US military bases in Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan in retaliation for US strikes, further escalating tensions in the region.
In his Truth Social post, Trump claimed the effort had resulted in more than 100 million barrels of oil reaching the open market, and that more than 200 commercial ships had safely passed through the strait. “More than 200 Commercial Ships have safely traveled through the Strait. This wildly successful effort is because the UNITED STATES of AMERICA CONTROLS the Strait of Hormuz – NOT Iran,” he wrote. He also wrote, “Their military is defeated, and their economy is lost. It’s over for Iran!”
Some analysts have also warned that Trump’s decisions in the Iran war could spark a nuclear arms race in the region, adding another layer of concern to the ongoing conflict. According to a poll by YouGov published on Tuesday, approximately 63 percent of Americans said they disapprove of how Trump is handling the economy.
Trump, however, maintained during the ceremony that inflation would “come down like a rock,” attributing the expected drop to the oil being moved through the Strait of Hormuz as part of what he described as a successful covert military effort. He said he had wanted to speak about the operation earlier but held back, stating, “I wanted to say it so badly, but I didn’t want to ruin it, but it was very hard.”
