Trump halted ‘Project Freedom’ after backlash from Saudi Arabia: US officials

Two US officials have revealed that President Donald Trump's decision to retreat from an earlier plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, known as “Project Freedom," came following significant backlash from its close Persian Gulf ally, Saudi Arabia.

NBC News, citing two unnamed US officials, reported on Thursday that the abrupt reversal occurred after the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia suspended the US military’s access to its bases and airspace, which are crucial to the operation.

On Sunday afternoon, Trump unexpectedly announced "Project Freedom" via social media, causing discontent among the Saudi leadership.

In reaction to the announcement, Saudi Arabia communicated to the United States its unwillingness to permit the US military to operate aircraft from Prince Sultan Airbase, located southeast of Riyadh, as well as to traverse Saudi airspace for this initiative.

In an effort to mitigate the fallout, Trump personally reached out to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. However, the phone conversation failed to yield any resolution, according to the two US officials, prompting the president to temporarily halt the operation.

The announcement also caught other Persian Gulf allies off guard, as Trump initiated discussions with leaders in Qatar after he announced the operation.

A source from Saudi Arabia informed NBC News that Trump and the crown prince “have been in touch regularly,” adding that Saudi officials have maintained contact with US officials, including Vice President JD Vance, US Central Command, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

When questioned about whether the announcement of “Project Freedom” took Saudi leaders by surprise, the source said, “The problem with that premise is that things are happening quickly in real time.”

The source added that Saudi Arabia remains "very supportive of the diplomatic efforts" from Pakistan to mediate a resolution between Iran and the United States regarding the ongoing conflict.

Amid Iran's resilience, Trump says 'pausing' plan to reopen Strait of Hormuz

Trump says he is "pausing" his so-called "Project Freedom" to reopen the Strait of Hormuz amid strict controls being exercised over the waterway by Iran.

A White House official responded to inquiries regarding the apparent unexpected nature of the announcement for some Persian Gulf leaders by claiming "regional allies were notified in advance."

Additionally, a West Asian diplomat revealed that the US did not coordinate “Project Freedom” with Oman —another key Persian Gulf ally— until after Trump made the announcement.

"The US made an announcement and then coordinated with us,” the diplomat said.

The operation, announced by Trump over the weekend as a strategy to counter Iran’s blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, was heavily promoted by top national security officials during public briefings at the Pentagon and the White House. However, it was abruptly halted approximately 36 hours after its initial announcement.

In a post on Wednesday, Trump indicated that “Project Freedom” would be paused for a short period of time to see whether or not an agreement to conclude the war can be finalized and signed with Iran.

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