Trump's Project Freedom Failed in Hours — Saudi Said No. MBS Was Furious. Mission Now on Ice

Trump had a plan. Saudi Arabia said no.
Project Freedom — the U.S. mission to escort commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz — was supposed to launch Sunday. But just hours after Trump announced it, the whole thing fell apart.
Why? Saudi Arabia refused to let U.S. warplanes use its airspace or military bases.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was furious. Trump hadn't consulted him. And the Saudis thought the plan was reckless — poorly studied and guaranteed to escalate things with Ir|n.
So they pulled the rug. Stunned U.S. officials scrambled. A flurry of phone calls followed. Trump talked to MBS. So did Marco Rubio, Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner.
By Tuesday, Trump "Paused" the operation. Less than 24 hours after it started.
His public excuse? "Progress" toward a peace deal with Iran. But no evidence of a breakthrough has emerged.
Here's the backstory:
Just weeks ago, MBS was pushing Trump to bomb Ir*n into regime change. But then Trump agreed to a ceasefire. Now the crown prince has flipped — he wants the war to end. He's backing peace talks through Saudi ally Pakistan.
Saudi officials also have less skin in the game. They've rerouted most of their oil exports through an overland pipeline that bypasses the Strait of Hormuz. So they can afford to sit this one out.
The big takeaway:
Trump's unpredictable, whiplash style has strained ties with one of his closest allies. And Ir/\n is watching. A visible rift between Washington and Riyadh gives Tehran leverage just as peace talks heat up.
Bottom line: Trump blinked. Saudi said no. And Project Freedom is on ice. ❄️

References: www.nytimes.com - www.seattletimes.com - www.timesofisrael.com

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