Energy Secretary Says US Looking to Escort Tankers in Strait of Hormuz by End of Month

‘It’ll happen relatively soon, but it can’t happen now,’ says Secretary Chris Wright.

Tankers sail in the Gulf, near the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from northern Ras al-Khaimah, near the border with Oman’s Musandam governance, amid the U.S.–Israel conflict with Iran, in United Arab Emirates on March 11, 2026. Reuters

U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright has said the military will attempt to escort oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz amid the conflict with Iran, as officials work on trying to prevent shortages from driving up prices.

“It’ll happen relatively soon, but it can’t happen now,” Wright told CNBC on Thursday in response to a question on whether the U.S. Navy would help tankers pass through the key waterway.