The pattern is clear: whenever oil prices spike due to the war’s disruption of the Persian Gulf’s energy flows, US officials—including President Donald Trump and Energy Secretary Chris Wright—issue unsubstantiated claims, only to retract or contradict them hours later. The result? Temporary market relief, a brief rally in European stock indices like the FTSE 100, and a growing credibility crisis for Washington.
The Deleted Tweet That Moved Markets
On Tuesday, Energy Secretary Chris Wright posted—and then swiftly deleted—a claim that the US Navy had escorted an oil tanker through the Strait of Hormuz. The post, made at 1:02 PM US Eastern Time, sent oil prices tumbling and triggered a 1.6% rally in London’s FTSE 100, as traders bet on a return to normalcy in the world’s most critical oil chokepoint.
But the White House quickly walked back the statement. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt admitted, “The US Navy has not escorted a tanker or a vessel at this time,” exposing the post as baseless. Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf mocked the claim, asking, “An oil tanker crossed the Strait of Hormuz escorted by US Navy ships? Maybe on PlayStation!”
The episode was not an isolated incident. It followed a now-familiar script: US officials make bold, unsupported assertions about the war’s progress or oil security, markets react positively, and the claims are later debunked or retracted.
Trump’s “War Is Over” Rhetoric: Another Market Manipulation Tactic
Just hours after Wright’s deleted tweet, Trump himself declared the war on Iran “very complete, pretty much” and suggested it would end “very soon”. The remarks, made during a press conference, sent oil prices plunging again—Brent crude dropped to $90.28, and the FTSE 100 surged by 145 points.
Yet, the ground reality tells a different story. The Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed, with Iran’s military asserting “complete control” over the waterway and warning that any vessel attempting passage risks missile or drone strikes. Maritime traffic has “all but halted” since the war began on February 28, and analysts describe the oil supply disruption as the “biggest in history”.
Trump’s claims of an imminent end to the war also contradict his own administration’s actions. The State Department has ordered non-emergency staff to leave Saudi Arabia, and the US military has yet to begin any operations to protect oil tankers in the Persian Gulf, according to General Dan Caine, head of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff.
A Pattern of Deception: How the US Is Handling the Oil Crisis
The past week has seen a repeated cycle: Oil prices spike due to war-related disruptions in the Persian Gulf. US officials make unsubstantiated claims—about military escorts, the war’s end, or “no energy shortage”—to calm markets. Markets rally briefly, with European indices like the FTSE 100, DAX, and CAC 40 posting gains. Claims are debunked or retracted, revealing the administration’s desperation to mask the severity of the crisis.
This pattern is not just about misinformation; it’s about economic survival. Soaring oil prices—Brent crude hit $110 last week, a level not seen since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine—threaten to derail the US economy and trigger a global inflationary tsunami. Gasoline prices in the US have already jumped 43 cents in a week, and airlines like SAS are introducing “temporary fuel-related price adjustments” to offset the surge.
Yet, rather than address the root cause—the US-Israeli aggression that has paralyzed the Persian Gulf—the Trump administration is weaponizing falsehoods to buy time.
Iran Calls Out the Bluff
Iranian officials have been quick to expose Washington’s tactics. Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi condemned the US for “posting fake news to manipulate markets,” adding that the world is facing its “biggest oil shortfall in history” due to the war.
Iranian security chief Ali Larijani declared that the appointment of Ayatollah Seyed Mojtaba Khamenei as the new Leader had “caused the hostile and warmongering enemies to despair”.
The message from Tehran is clear: the US may control the narrative in Western media, but it cannot control the Persian Gulf—or the economic fallout of its own war.
A War Built on Lies, a Crisis Worsened by Deception
The US-Israeli war on Iran has not only destabilized the Middle East but also triggered a global oil shock. Instead of admitting failure or seeking a real diplomatic solution, the Trump administration is doubling down on misinformation and market manipulation. From deleted tweets to hollow promises of victory, the pattern is undeniable: Washington is more concerned with propping up stock prices than ending a war that has already caused “the biggest supply disruption in the history of oil”.
As long as the Strait of Hormuz remains closed and the war rages on, the world will continue to pay the price—both at the pump and in the credibility of those who claim to lead it.