Trump Suspends US Military Escorts in Hormuz

(SeaPRwire) –   The US president has abruptly put his Project Freedom operation on hold after just two days

President Donald Trump has temporarily suspended a U.S. military operation to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz but stated that the blockade of Iranian ports would “remain in full force and effect” until a final agreement with Tehran is reached.

The so-called Project Freedom initiative was launched to guide tankers and other commercial vessels through the key energy chokepoint, which accounts for roughly one-fifth of global oil flows. On Sunday, when announcing the mission, Trump described it as a humanitarian effort rather than an offensive operation.

“Based on the request of Pakistan and other countries,” as well as “great progress” in talks with Iranian representatives, Washington and Tehran have “mutually agreed” to suspend the ship-movement operation “for a short period,” Trump announced abruptly on Truth Social two days later.

Just hours earlier, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told journalists that the original offensive operation, Epic Fury, was “over,” adding: “We’re now on to this Project Freedom.”

“Project Freedom is Project Deadlock,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a post on X, warning the U.S. to “be wary of being dragged back into a quagmire by ill-wishers.”

The Strait of Hormuz has been at the center of the crisis since the U.S. and Israel launched attacks on Iran in late February. The U.S. and Iran reached a fragile ceasefire in early April, but tensions have continued over maritime access, with Tehran calling Washington’s naval blockade an “act of war” and a violation of the truce.

Trump claimed the temporary pause in escorts was intended to give negotiators time to see whether a “complete and final agreement” could be finalized.