U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the media before boarding Air Force One for departure to Miami, Florida, at Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S., May 2, 2026. REUTERS/Nathan Howard
President Donald Trump faced fresh market manipulation accusations on Sunday after he said the U.S. would guide "neutral and innocent" ships through the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump wrote on Truth Social that "countries from all over the world" have asked him to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway that accounts for 20% of the world's energy trade. The waterway has been shut down since late February, when the war in Iran began, and the Iranian regime has reportedly attacked merchant ships from the U.K. and other countries for trying to pass through.
"I have told my Representatives to inform them that we will use [our] best efforts to get their Ships and Crews safely out of the Strait," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "In all cases, they said they will not be returning until the area becomes safe for navigation, and everything else. This process, Project Freedom, will begin Monday morning, Middle East time."
Political analysts and observers reacted to Trump's post on social media.
"So, the blockade is bad again, or is this the market calling?" Tricia Hope, a self-described former January 6 participant, posted on X.
"Big bet on oil was no doubt placed an hour before announcement," radio host Charlie Thompson posted on X.
"It's Sunday evening again, so Trump is coming out with another 'breakthrough,'" political writer Maarten Verheyen posted on X.