NBC News reported that U.S. President Donald Trump backed away from a plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz after backlash from allies and after Saudi Arabia barred the U.S. military from using its bases and airspace.
The network indicated that Trump surprised Gulf allies by announcing “Project Freedom” on social media on Sunday, triggering anger within the Saudi leadership.
In response, the kingdom informed the United States that it would not allow the U.S. military to operate aircraft from Prince Sultan Air Base southeast of the capital, Riyadh, or fly through Saudi airspace in support of the effort, according to officials.
Two U.S. officials said a call between Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman failed to resolve the issue, prompting the president to suspend “Project Freedom” in order to restore the U.S. military’s access to the vital airspace. Other close Gulf allies were also caught off guard, as the president spoke with leaders in Qatar after the operation had already effectively begun.
