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

WASHINGTON - 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)

Copyright Reuters or USA Today Network via Reuters Connect.

This story was originally published May 3, 2026 at 2:04 PM.