Trump unveils ‘Project Freedom’ amid Hormuz crisis—Here’s what it means

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said several countries had requested U.S. assistance to help free ships stuck in the vital shipping corridor amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.

“Countries from all over the world… have asked the United States if we could help free up their ships, which are locked up in the Strait of Hormuz,” he wrote, adding that many of the vessels belong to nations not involved in the ongoing conflict and are “neutral and innocent bystanders.”

He said the U.S. would guide these ships safely through restricted waters to allow them to resume operations. “For the good of Iran, the Middle East, and the United States, we will help ensure these vessels can continue their journeys,” he added.

Trump also noted that many ships are facing shortages of essential supplies, including food, making the mission partly humanitarian in nature. “This is a humanitarian gesture… many of these ships are running low on food and other necessities required for large crews,” he said.

According to Trump, the operation is set to begin on Monday, with affected vessels unlikely to return to the region until it is deemed safe for navigation.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed it will support the mission to restore freedom of navigation in the strategic waterway.

“Our support for this defensive mission is essential to regional security and the global economy,” said Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of CENTCOM.

CENTCOM said its deployment will include guided-missile destroyers, more than 100 land- and sea-based aircraft, multi-domain unmanned platforms, and around 15,000 service members to support Operation Project Freedom.