politics
May 6, 2026
Trump pauses U.S. mission to guide ships through Strait of Hormuz to see if Iran deal can be struck
Updated on: May 5, 2026 / 8:06 PM EDT / CBS News
TL;DR
- President Trump has paused Project Freedom, a U.S. effort to guide commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz.
- The pause is intended to explore the possibility of striking a deal with Iran, with Trump citing "Great Progress" toward an agreement.
- Project Freedom was launched to counter Iran's attempts to control the strait, which has seen reduced vessel traffic and rising oil prices.
- Recent incidents include Iranian missile and drone attacks on U.S. naval vessels and commercial ships, and U.S. destruction of Iranian boats.
- Despite exchanges of fire, U.S. officials maintain that a ceasefire with Iran is still holding.
- Iran's Foreign Minister criticized Project Freedom as "Project Deadlock" and warned against military solutions to political crises.