President Donald Trump announced a halt to Project Freedom, the U.S. military operation escorting commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, on Tuesday evening, citing appeals from Pakistan and other allies. However, he made clear that the American naval blockade in the strategic waterway will stay in effect.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump framed the pause as a tactical move tied to ongoing negotiations with Tehran. "Based on the request of Pakistan and other Countries, the tremendous Military Success that we have had during the Campaign against the Country of Iran and, additionally, the fact that Great Progress has been made toward a Complete and Final Agreement with Representatives of Iran, we have mutually agreed that, while the Blockade will remain in full force and effect, Project Freedom (The Movement of Ships through the Strait of Hormuz) will be paused for a short period of time to see whether or not the Agreement can be finalized and signed," the president wrote.
The decision comes just days after the operation launched early Monday, amid escalating hostilities. Iranian forces have fired drones and missiles at U.S. military assets in the region, prompting American retaliation that included sinking six Iranian small boats. The fragile U.S.-Iran ceasefire has held so far, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said earlier Tuesday, but he stressed that Project Freedom was a temporary defensive measure to reopen the strait, which Iran had effectively choked off for weeks.
"This is separate and distinct from Operation Epic Fury," Hegseth told reporters at the Pentagon. Later that day, Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared at the White House that Operation Epic Fury—a broader campaign—had concluded. Rubio also delivered sharp criticism of Iran's leadership, calling them "insane in the brain" and warning against testing Trump's resolve amid rising tensions in the Strait of Hormuz.
"This is not an offensive operation. This is a defensive operation. And what that means is very simple, there's no shooting unless we're shot at first," Rubio said.
Project Freedom involved several U.S. Navy destroyers, air and land-based assets, and roughly 15,000 sailors in the U.S. Central Command region. Hegseth noted that two American commercial ships, accompanied by U.S. destroyers, have already transited the strait. "We know the Iranians are embarrassed by this fact," he said. "They said they control the strait—they do not. So, American ships led the way, commercial and military, shouldering the initial risk from the front—as Americans always do. Right now, hundreds more ships from nations around the world are lining up to transit."
Gen. Dan Caine, chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, reported that as of Tuesday morning, over 1,500 vessels carrying about 22,500 mariners remained "trapped" inside the Persian Gulf. To bolster security, CENTCOM established an enhanced protection zone on the southern side of the strait, shielded by U.S. land, naval, and air forces to deter further Iranian aggression against commercial shipping.
The pause in Project Freedom marks a significant shift in U.S. strategy, though the blockade's continuation signals Washington's intent to maintain pressure. As Pentagon Chief Hegseth clashed with reporters over the administration's Iran policy, the situation remains fluid. Meanwhile, some lawmakers have weighed in, with GOP Rep. Fry calling Iran a 'petulant child' testing Trump's resolve amid the naval clash. The coming days will test whether diplomatic talks can yield a final agreement or if the strait becomes a flashpoint for broader conflict.
