Trump pauses Project Freedom in Hormuz, cites Iran deal progress

Tuesday, May 5, 2026Developing

Politics Desk

What we know

President Donald Trump said Tuesday evening he was pausing "Project Freedom," the U.S. military effort to guide stranded commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz, after roughly one day of escorts, AP, Reuters, NPR and BBC reported. Trump said the pause came at Pakistan's request and because "great progress" had been made toward a final agreement with Iran; the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports remains in force.

Earlier Tuesday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the U.S.-Iran ceasefire "certainly holds" and cast the escort mission as temporary and separate from Operation Epic Fury, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Iran cannot be allowed to control or toll the strait. CENTCOM said two U.S.-flagged merchant ships had already transited under escort Monday; hundreds of vessels remain bottled up in the Gulf.

What's confirmed

Reuters/AP: Trump Truth Social post paused Project Freedom "for a short period of time" while the blockade stays in full force (Reuters, AP).
NPR/NBC: Pause framed as space to finalize a Pakistan-mediated end-of-war deal; White House gave no further timeline (NPR, NBC).
Reuters: Hegseth said ceasefire is not over; U.S. claimed a secured escort lane and Iranian small-boat and missile intercepts Monday (Reuters).
Al Jazeera/CBS: Rubio said offensive Epic Fury operations are concluded and there is "no shooting unless we're shot at first," while rejecting any Iranian toll regime (Al Jazeera, CBS).
BBC: Mission paused about 50 hours after Trump announced it Sunday; only two known escorted transits (BBC).

What's still developing

Whether Iran formally answers the U.S. proposal and any Hormuz reopening terms.
How long the escort pause lasts and whether Project Freedom resumes if talks stall.
Status of commercial shipping and insurance still blocked in the Gulf.

Sources

Reuters — Trump says operation to reopen Strait of Hormuz will be paused link
AP — Wang and Araghchi meet in Beijing as Trump pauses US effort in the Strait link
NPR — Trump says U.S. will no longer guide ships through the Strait of Hormuz link
BBC — Trump says US to pause operation to guide vessels through Strait of Hormuz link
NBC — Trump pauses Project Freedom in Strait of Hormuz, citing Iran deal progress link
Al Jazeera — Trump pauses US operation in Strait of Hormuz in push for deal with Iran link
CBS — Hegseth says U.S.-Iran ceasefire holding as Trump seeks deal link
Reuters — Ceasefire with Iran is not over, Pentagon's Hegseth says link