Trump pauses US request to steer ships through Strait of Hormuz, cites progress on Iran deal
Ships in the Strait of Hormuz near Bandar Abbas, Iran, May 4, 2026.
Amirhosein Khorgooi | ISNA | WANA | Via Reuters
President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he was suspending “Project Freedom,” the US military’s effort to steer commercial ships out of the Strait of Hormuz, for another day.
Trump, in a Truth Social post, said the decision was based in part on “Significant progress has been made toward a Comprehensive and Final Agreement” with Iran.
Project Freedom “will be temporarily suspended to see if the Agreement can be finalized and signed,” Trump wrote.
Stock futures rose following Trump’s announcement, which raised hopes of a peace deal that would end the US-Israeli war in Iran and reopen a key economic crisis.
It also represents a surprising about-face from the Trump administration, which hours earlier had framed Project Freedom as a matter of life or death for thousands of human sailors.
The Trump administration said about 23,000 sailors on ships representing 87 countries are stranded in the Persian Gulf because of Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said at the White House on Tuesday afternoon that the purpose of Project Freedom is to “rescue” those sailors, who were “left for dead” by the Iranian regime.
“Nations from around the world, most of which are not involved in any military conflicts, are now at risk, not only of losing their property, but also the lives of their citizens because of this blockade,” Rubio said.
“They’re sitting ducks. They’re isolated, they’re hungry, they’re in danger, and at least 10 sailors have already died because of” the Iranian embargo, he said.
Trump announced Project Freedom on Sunday evening, saying that the US had assured countries whose ships were stuck because of the war that they would “lead their ships safely out of these restricted waterways.”
The US Central Command said on Sunday evening that the military would send “guided missile destroyers, more than 100 land and naval aircraft, multiple unmanned platforms and 15,000 personnel” to support the operation.
Defense and political experts told CNBC earlier Tuesday that they doubted Project Freedom would achieve its goals.
Iran, on the other hand, has responded to the US military’s actions with renewed hostility, putting further pressure on ending hostilities with the US.
The United Arab Emirates said on Monday it was attacked with missiles, cruise missiles and drones from Iran, injuring three people.
CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper told reporters the same day that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps was “launching multiple missiles, drones and small boats at the ships we are protecting.”
A ship controlled by South Korea in the Strait of Hormuz also caught fire on Monday. Trump later claimed that Iran attacked him.
Trump’s position in announcing Project Freedom appears to be in anticipation that the move could derail diplomatic efforts with Tehran.
“I am well aware that my representatives are having very good negotiations with the country of Iran, and that these negotiations can lead to something good for all,” he wrote. “The Shipping Association is just meant to bail out people, companies, and Countries who have done nothing wrong – They are victims of circumstance.”
