Trump says US will help free ships stranded in Strait of Hormuz

Trump says the U.S. will begin an operation to guide stranded ships safely through the Strait of Hormuz. The move is described as a humanitarian step amid ongoing regional conflict and rising maritime tensions.

Reuters

May 04, 2026

Trump says US will help free ships stranded in Strait of Hormuz

U.S. President Donald Trump gestures as he arrives at Joint Base Andrews, U.S., May 3, 2026.

Nathan Howard/Reuters

President Donald Trump said on Sunday that the United States would begin an effort to free up ships stranded in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday morning.

Trump, in a post on his Truth Social site, gave few details about the operation, including whether the U.S. Navy would be involved. He described the effort as a "humanitarian gesture" meant only to aid neutral countries that were not involved in the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.

"For the good of Iran, the Middle East, and the United States, we have told these Countries that we will guide their Ships safely out of these restricted Waterways, so that they can freely and ably get on with their business," Trump wrote in the post.

The White House and the Pentagon did not immediately respond to requests for additional information.

-Reporting by Katharine Jackson; Editing by Nia Williams/Reuters