{"id":125503,"date":"2026-05-08T11:03:41","date_gmt":"2026-05-08T06:03:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/?p=125503"},"modified":"2026-05-08T11:03:42","modified_gmt":"2026-05-08T06:03:42","slug":"saudi-pressure-led-us-to-pause-hormuz-project-nbc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2026\/125503\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Saudi pressure\u2019 led US to pause Hormuz project: NBC"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON(National Times)- US President Donald Trump\u2019s decision to\u00a0pause<\/a>\u00a0a US operation to escort commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz reportedly followed pressure from Saudi Arabia, according to an\u00a0NBC<\/em><\/a>\u00a0News report citing two US officials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The operation, dubbed Project Freedom<\/a>, was unexpectedly announced by Trump on social media on Sunday and began on Monday. However, US allies in the Gulf were reportedly surprised by the announcement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the officials, Saudi Arabia \u2014 one of Washington\u2019s key regional partners\u2014 subsequently suspended the US military\u2019s access to its bases and airspace needed to support the mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTrump surprised Gulf allies by announcing \u2018Project Freedom\u2019 on social media Sunday afternoon, the officials said, angering leadership in Saudi Arabia,\u201d NBC<\/em> News reported. \u201cIn response, the Kingdom informed the US it would not allow the US military to fly aircraft from Prince Sultan Airbase southeast of Riyadh or fly through Saudi airspace to support the effort.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A call <\/a>between Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman did not resolve the disagreement, the officials said, prompting the White House to pause the operation in order to restore access.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOther close Gulf allies were also caught off guard; the president spoke with leaders in Qatar after the effort had already begun,\u201d the report added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Saudi source, however, downplayed suggestions of surprise, saying Trump and the Crown Prince \u201chave been in touch regularly\u201d. The source added that Saudi officials were also in contact with senior US officials, including Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US Central Command.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When asked whether Saudi leadership was surprised, the source said: \u201cThe problem with that premise is that things are happening quickly in real time.\u201d The source also said Riyadh was \u201cvery supportive of the diplomatic efforts\u201d by Pakistan to mediate<\/a> between Iran and the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Saudi source also rejected<\/a> a US media report saying President Donald Trump announced a pause in an American military operation to guide stranded ships through the Strait of Hormuz following an intervention by Riyadh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis isn\u2019t true,\u201d a source close to the Saudi government said. The United States still has regular access to Saudi bases and airspace, the source added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A White House official, meanwhile, insisted that \u201cregional allies were notified in advance\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Middle Eastern diplomat said coordination had followed, rather than preceded, the announcement. \u201cThe US made an announcement and then coordinated with us,\u201d the diplomat said, adding \u201cwe were not upset or angry\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the report, Trump launched Project Freedom to facilitate maritime movement through the Strait of Hormuz amid tensions with Iran. The US military had begun deploying additional assets in the region and two US-flagged vessels had already transited the strait under the operation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

WASHINGTON(National Times)- US President Donald Trump\u2019s decision to\u00a0pause\u00a0a US operation to escort commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz reportedly followed pressure from Saudi Arabia, according to an\u00a0NBC\u00a0News report citing two US officials. The operation, dubbed Project Freedom, was unexpectedly announced by Trump on social media on Sunday and began on Monday. However, US allies in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":125504,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-125503","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latest_news","entry"],"yoast_head":"\n\u2018Saudi pressure\u2019 led US to pause Hormuz project: NBC - Nation<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2026\/125503\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"\u2018Saudi pressure\u2019 led US to pause Hormuz project: NBC - Nation\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"WASHINGTON(National Times)- US President Donald Trump\u2019s decision to\u00a0pause\u00a0a US operation to escort commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz reportedly followed pressure from Saudi Arabia, according to an\u00a0NBC\u00a0News report citing two US officials. The operation, dubbed Project Freedom, was unexpectedly announced by Trump on social media on Sunday and began on Monday. However, US allies in […]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2026\/125503\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Nation\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-05-08T06:03:41+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-05-08T06:03:42+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Untitled-design-2-2.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"670\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"370\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"humza Jahangir\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"humza Jahangir\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2026\/125503\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2026\/125503\/\",\"name\":\"\u2018Saudi pressure\u2019 led US to pause Hormuz project: NBC - Nation\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2026\/125503\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2026\/125503\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Untitled-design-2-2.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-05-08T06:03:41+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-05-08T06:03:42+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/#\/schema\/person\/27efa35fa76e99f3ad7e7397d7332c16\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2026\/125503\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2026\/125503\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2026\/125503\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Untitled-design-2-2.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Untitled-design-2-2.png\",\"width\":670,\"height\":370},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2026\/125503\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"\u2018Saudi pressure\u2019 led US to pause Hormuz project: NBC\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/\",\"name\":\"Nation\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/#\/schema\/person\/27efa35fa76e99f3ad7e7397d7332c16\",\"name\":\"humza Jahangir\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/43feedd99bd6a90080d1621b7e6604364acb673ee979d3ffe5075557c14c68b9?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/43feedd99bd6a90080d1621b7e6604364acb673ee979d3ffe5075557c14c68b9?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"humza Jahangir\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/author\/humza\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"\u2018Saudi pressure\u2019 led US to pause Hormuz project: NBC - Nation","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2026\/125503\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"\u2018Saudi pressure\u2019 led US to pause Hormuz project: NBC - Nation","og_description":"WASHINGTON(National Times)- US President Donald Trump\u2019s decision to\u00a0pause\u00a0a US operation to escort commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz reportedly followed pressure from Saudi Arabia, according to an\u00a0NBC\u00a0News report citing two US officials. The operation, dubbed Project Freedom, was unexpectedly announced by Trump on social media on Sunday and began on Monday. However, US allies in […]","og_url":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2026\/125503\/","og_site_name":"Nation","article_published_time":"2026-05-08T06:03:41+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-05-08T06:03:42+00:00","og_image":[{"width":670,"height":370,"url":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Untitled-design-2-2.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"humza Jahangir","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"humza Jahangir","Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2026\/125503\/","url":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2026\/125503\/","name":"\u2018Saudi pressure\u2019 led US to pause Hormuz project: NBC - Nation","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2026\/125503\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2026\/125503\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Untitled-design-2-2.png","datePublished":"2026-05-08T06:03:41+00:00","dateModified":"2026-05-08T06:03:42+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/#\/schema\/person\/27efa35fa76e99f3ad7e7397d7332c16"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2026\/125503\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2026\/125503\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2026\/125503\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Untitled-design-2-2.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Untitled-design-2-2.png","width":670,"height":370},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2026\/125503\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"\u2018Saudi pressure\u2019 led US to pause Hormuz project: NBC"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/#website","url":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/","name":"Nation","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/#\/schema\/person\/27efa35fa76e99f3ad7e7397d7332c16","name":"humza Jahangir","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/43feedd99bd6a90080d1621b7e6604364acb673ee979d3ffe5075557c14c68b9?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/43feedd99bd6a90080d1621b7e6604364acb673ee979d3ffe5075557c14c68b9?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"humza Jahangir"},"url":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/author\/humza\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/125503","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=125503"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/125503\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":125505,"href":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/125503\/revisions\/125505"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/125504"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=125503"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=125503"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=125503"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}