They are fooling you with vague promises. Tor wasn't made by DARPA, it was made specifically for usage by intelligence units and to this day most of the servers are under their control. They make sure that VPN remains monitored. Here is a case from yesterday: https://forum.torproject.org/t/tor-relays-jailed-u-s-tor-operator-persecuted-by-fbi-after-refusing-decrypt-requests/20576
> "Can you tell me how much I just paid on lightning and to who?"
I'm not the government nor have interest in tracking you. That point is moot because normal people don't have the same budget nor the same interest as governments. It is the same thing as claiming that your phone number is private because I can't readily tell to whom it belongs.
Has anyone ever explained you this, or is it the first time?
I've been having a conversation but you seem too well informed on the topic, it becomes very strange that you're not aware of the importance for privacy and still insist on awfully insecure options.
Therefore I'll just remove myself from the conversation.