Donald Trump announced an embarrassing U-turn on plans to help vessels out of the Strait of Hormuz just as some of his top Cabinet officials were busy hyping the effort to end the Iran war.
The 79-year-old president said Tuesday that his so-called “Project Freedom” would be paused for a “short period of time” as negotiations to end the Middle East conflict continue.
Trump shelved the plan just a day after it was rolled out, after being warned that guiding ships through the narrow passageway risked escalating the deeply unpopular war on Iran at a time when a fragile ceasefire is in place, Bloomberg reported.
The reversal came shortly after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio had publicly touted the plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, through which about a fifth of the world’s oil supply normally passes.
During Tuesday press conferences, both Hegseth and Rubio suggested “Project Freedom” would be the next crucial phase in ending the war.
The Trump administration has repeatedly claimed the conflict is on the verge of ending, but cannot declare victory while the strait remains largely closed by Tehran.
Hegseth described the U.S.-led effort to shepherd commercial vessels through the waterway as a “powerful red, white, and blue dome over the strait,” enforced by warplanes, helicopters, and drones.
“Two U.S. commercial ships, along with American destroyers, have already safely transited the Strait, showing the lane is clear. We know the Iranians are embarrassed by this fact. They said they control the Strait. They do not,” Hegseth said.
He also claimed “hundreds more ships from nations around the world are lining up” to leave the strait under the operation before Trump abruptly announced he would be putting the plans on hold.
“We maintain the upper hand, and Project Freedom only strengthens that hand,” Hegseth added.
Elsewhere on Tuesday, Rubio—temporarily taking on duties as White House press secretary while Karoline Leavitt is on maternity leave—also pitched the plan as the next crucial step to ending the war after the initial military operation to stop Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon had apparently been achieved.
“Operation Epic Fury is concluded. We achieved the objectives of that operation,” Rubio told reporters. “We’re not cheering for an additional situation to occur. We would prefer the path of peace. What the president would prefer is a deal.”
Rubio suggested Project Freedom would be smaller in scale than the original military operation launched on Feb. 28. He described the now-shelved plan as defensive in nature and said the U.S. would not attack Iran “unless we’re shot at.”
Iran has claimed it fired on U.S. Navy vessels attempting to escort ships through the strait, a claim denied by U.S. Central Command. Trump said U.S. helicopters destroyed six Iranian small boats in response, which Tehran also rejected.
Jakob Larsen, chief safety and security officer for the Baltic and International Maritime Council (BIMCO), the world’s largest shipping trade group, warned the plan could inflame tensions further.
“The threat of ships being attacked has increased, and the situation seems to be on an escalatory path,” Larsen said.
The Daily Beast has contacted the White House for comment.
