Trump Pauses 'Project Freedom' in Strait of Hormuz Citing 'Great Progress' on Iran Deal

President Trump announced on May 5, 2026 that he was pausing 'Project Freedom' — the US Navy escort operation for stranded commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz — citing 'great progress' toward a comprehensive agreement with Iran. The pause came after Pakistan-led mediation efforts gained significant traction, with Islamabad acting as the key diplomatic channel between Washington and Tehran. Trump posted on Truth Social that negotiations were 'going very well' and that he expected 'a real deal, not just words' in the coming days. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed the operational pause while warning the US remained 'locked and loaded' if Iran violated the ceasefire. The US position appeared to be shifting toward a 'Hormuz first, nuclear later' phased framework — opening the strait to commercial shipping first, then tackling Iran's nuclear program in subsequent negotiations — a sequencing Iran had previously demanded. Analysts noted the pause defused the immediate military confrontation between US Navy and IRGC forces that had threatened to collapse the April 7 ceasefire. Brent crude prices eased slightly from their $103–106/bbl peak as markets interpreted the development as reducing the risk of immediate conflict. The US naval blockade of Iranian ports remained in place despite the escort operation pause.