Trump Announces ‘Project Freedom’ to Escort Ships Out of Hormuz — ‘Any Interference Will Be Dealt with Forcefully’
By JOSHUA KLEIN
President Donald Trump announced Sunday that the United States will begin what he dubbed “Project Freedom” on Monday to guide and free foreign ships trapped in the Strait of Hormuz, warning that any interference with the humanitarian operation “will be dealt with forcefully” as vessels he described as “neutral and innocent bystanders” remain stranded amid the conflict.
In a Truth Social post, President Trump said countries “from all over the World” that are not party to the ongoing regional conflict have asked Washington to help free ships “locked up in the Strait of Hormuz,” describing them as “neutral and innocent bystanders.”
“For the good of Iran, the Middle East, and the United States, we have told these Countries that we will guide their Ships safely out of these restricted Waterways, so that they can freely and ably get on with their business,” he wrote, adding that U.S. representatives have been directed to “use best efforts” to secure the safe departure of both vessels and crews.
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) May 3, 2026
President Trump framed the operation as a humanitarian mission, emphasizing that many vessels are “running low on food, and everything else necessary” to sustain large crews, calling them “victims of circumstance.”
He coupled that message with a clear warning: “If, in any way, this Humanitarian process is interfered with, that interference will, unfortunately, have to be dealt with forcefully.”
President Trump added that U.S. representatives are engaged in “very positive discussions” with Iran that “could lead to something very positive for all,” while making clear the humanitarian extraction operation is proceeding independently of those talks.
Details of how the operation will be carried out remain limited. Axios reported, citing two American officials, that the effort may not rely on traditional naval escorts, but that U.S. warships will remain in the vicinity to deter Iranian interference if necessary, while providing commercial vessels with guidance on the safest maritime lanes — including routes not mined by Iranian forces.
Later Sunday night, U.S. Central Command confirmed it will begin supporting Project Freedom on Monday, outlining a significant military posture behind the effort. In a statement, CENTCOM said the mission — directed by President Trump — is aimed at restoring freedom of navigation for commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a corridor through which roughly a quarter of the world’s seaborne oil trade passes.
U.S. Central Command: U.S. Central Command forces will begin supporting Project Freedom, May 4, to restore freedom of navigation for commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
— World Source News (@Worldsource24) May 3, 2026
The mission, directed by the President, will support merchant vessels seeking to freely transit… pic.twitter.com/PCdCiTrSn9
“Our support for this defensive mission is essential to regional security and the global economy as we also maintain the naval blockade,” CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper said.
The command said U.S. support will include guided-missile destroyers, more than 100 land- and sea-based aircraft, multi-domain unmanned platforms, and approximately 15,000 service members — underscoring the scale of the operation as Washington moves to secure commercial transit through the strategic chokepoint.
Earlier Sunday, President Trump said the latest Iranian proposal failed to meet U.S. requirements, telling Israel’s Kan News he had reviewed the offer and rejected it.
Trump also pushed once again for a pardon to Netanyahu. “Tell your president to pardon Bibi. He’s a wartime prime minister. They wouldn’t have Israel if it wasn’t for me and Bibi in that order. You want to have a PM that can focus on the war not focus on nonsense.”
— Nathan Guttman (@nathanguttman) May 3, 2026
“I studied the new Iranian proposal, and it is not acceptable to me,” he said, adding that “the campaign is progressing very well.”
The proposal — a 14-point framework conveyed via Pakistani intermediaries — has been widely reported to demand sweeping concessions from Washington, including sanctions relief, the withdrawal of U.S. forces from the region, an end to the naval blockade, and a halt to hostilities across multiple fronts, while deferring meaningful negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program.
Iranian officials moved Sunday to dispute key elements of those reports. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran’s proposal is focused solely on ending the conflict and insisted that “at this stage” there are no nuclear negotiations underway, while rejecting claims that the plan includes provisions related to clearing mines in the Strait.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei stated that Iran’s 14-point proposal is focused entirely on ending the war, according to the Iranian state TV, stressing that Tehran is not engaged in nuclear negotiations “at this stage.”
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) May 3, 2026
"The United States’ position on… pic.twitter.com/TyOUXOqxCX
State-linked outlets, including Fars News Agency, similarly pushed back on reports that Iran had agreed to a long-term halt to uranium enrichment or to reopening the Strait prior to a final agreement — underscoring the gap between public reporting and Tehran’s official position.
Against that backdrop, President Trump’s launch of Project Freedom introduces a new operational step — moving to extract neutral vessels and crews from the strategic chokepoint while maintaining pressure on Tehran and warning against any attempt to disrupt the effort.
The move effectively places the onus on Iran to allow the safe departure of non-involved shipping — or risk escalation if it chooses to interfere.
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