SLS has been around the moon and back; that mission was equivalent to an unmanned Apollo VIII. Going around the moon is much easier than landing on it and coming back.

Sure. And not-quite-getting-into-orbit is easier -- significantly easier -- than going around the moon.

What's your point, really, aside from nitpicking, when "orbiting the moon" is a perfectly reasonable interpretation of the statement "been to the moon and back"?

I think the difference between the US lunar exploration program and the Soviet one qualifies as more than mere nitpicking.

Starship has made orbit several times.

To be pedantic, Starship has made orbital velocity several times. It didn't circularize enough to be a full orbit. A full orbit would have been irresponsible. Blue Origin has left a massive trail of space junk from their last test mission because they went for an ambitious orbit rather than one that would passively deorbit immediately.

https://x.com/shell_jim/status/1891842756500222212

Kinda. They demonstrated orbital delta-v, but the perigee was always low enough to guarantee re-enter atmosphere after just half an orbit from launch, because of SpaceX's unreadiness to confidently perform a controlled de-orbit otherwise.

No it has not. Cite a source please.