US Could Deploy Naval Escorts for Commercial Shipping in Hormuz, Bessent Says

Bessent said naval protection, strategic reserves and financial buffers are in place as Washington weighs risks to shipping, allies and global energy supplies.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent attends the 56th annual World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Davos, Switzerland, on Jan. 20, 2026. Denis Balibouse/Reuters

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on March 12 that Washington could deploy naval escorts for commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz as soon as military conditions allow.

In an interview with Sky News on March 12, Bessent said there was “the chance that the U.S. Navy, or perhaps an international coalition, will be escorting oil tankers through,” adding that escort operations would begin “as soon as it is militarily possible.”