President Trump said Sunday that the U.S. will assist in freeing ships in the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for the oil industry, which has been closed during the conflict with Iran.
“Countries from all over the World, almost all of which are not involved in the Middle Eastern dispute going on so visibly, and violently, for all to see, have asked the United States if we could help free up their Ships, which are locked up in the Strait of Hormuz, on something which they have absolutely nothing to do with — They are merely neutral and innocent bystanders!” the president said in a Truth Social post on Sunday evening.
“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,” he added.
Trump has said the effort, which he called “Project Freedom,” will begin Monday morning, “Middle East time.”
The Iranian military has limited shipping through the Strait of Hormuz due to the U.S.-Israeli conflict against the Middle Eastern country, resulting in higher oil prices. The average price of a gallon of gas in the U.S. is currently at about $4.45, according to AAA, up from about $3.17 last year.
The conflict against Iran just stretched into its second month, with polls showing widespread disapproval of the fighting among Americans. Trump’s disapproval rating recently reached a new high in a recent poll, with 62 percent of Americans disapproving of the president.
On Sunday, White House National Economic Council Director said that energy shocks from the conflict with Iran would affect airline profits for at least a quarter.
“Certainly, it’ll affect profits for the airlines for a quarter or so, but they’re very, very healthy right now,” Hassett said in the wake of Spirit Airlines’ decision to cease operations.
