Trump says U.S. will begin escorting ships through Strait of Hormuz

BREAKING NEWSMay. 3, 2026, 9:59 PM UTCIran warIran warTrump says U.S. will begin escorting ships through Strait of HormuzTrump's announcement comes as a cargo ship near the Strait of Hormuz was attacked Sunday morning.Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00Trump said Saturday that he was reviewing a proposal from Iran to end the war, but signaled little hope that the U.S. would accept the offer.ReutersShareAdd NBC News to GoogleBy Raquel Coronell UribePresident Donald Trump said Sunday that the U.S. will escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz, as he has offered little optimism that he will accept a recent proposal from Tehran to end the war.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.Trump said the U.S. will begin escorting the ships Monday, and said that it was a response to other countries — which he did not name, but said were not involved in the conflict — asking the U.S. to help free up ships locked in the passage.“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,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.Trump added that the operation to escort the vessels will be called “Project Freedom,” and said that interlocutors had communicated his decision to impacted countries. The president acknowledged that there were still discussions ongoing with Iran, which he said “could lead to something very positive for all.”“The Ship movement is merely meant to free up people, companies, and Countries that have done absolutely nothing wrong — They are victims of circumstance. This is a Humanitarian gesture on behalf of the United States, Middle Eastern Countries but, in particular, the Country of Iran,” Trump said.Trump added that if the U.S.’ efforts to escort ships is interrupted, it will “have to be dealt with forcefully.”Trump’s announce...