The United States imported exactly zero barrels of Saudi Arabian crude oil across all five weeks of July 2026. That hasn’t happened for a full month since Ronald Reagan was in the White House.

According to preliminary government data from the Energy Information Administration, US imports from Saudi Arabia registered 0 barrels per day in the weeks ending July 3, 10, 17, 24, and 31. For context, during the same period last year, the US was pulling in roughly 283,000 barrels per day from the kingdom.

From trickle to total shutoff

Earlier in 2026, from January through May, US imports from Saudi Arabia ranged between 103,000 and 496,000 barrels per day. July pulled the plug.

The streak represents the longest period without Saudi oil shipments reaching US shores in over 16 years. Saudi Arabia’s own export picture tells a parallel story. The kingdom’s total crude exports fell to approximately 4.19 million barrels per day in July 2026, reflecting broader constraints on its ability to move oil through contested waterways. US oil exports also slipped to their lowest levels in eight months during the same window.

Geopolitics and chokepoints

Escalating tensions involving the US, Iran, and the security situation around the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea have made traditional shipping corridors riskier and more expensive. The Strait of Hormuz alone handles roughly a fifth of the world’s daily oil consumption in normal times.

Investors should watch for follow-through in August EIA data. A second consecutive month at or near zero would turn a headline into a trend.