Trump’s reversal on reopening Strait of Hormuz came after backlash from ally: Report

US President Donald Trump’s sudden reversal on his plan to assist ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz followed a decision by a key Gulf ally to suspend the US military’s use of its bases and airspace for the operation, NBC News reported Wednesday, citing sources.

Trump caught Gulf allies off guard when he announced “Project Freedom” on social media Sunday afternoon, the report said, frustrating leaders in Saudi Arabia.

In response, the Kingdom told the US it would not permit American aircraft to operate from Prince Sultan Air Base southeast of Riyadh or pass through Saudi airspace in support of the mission, the officials said.

A phone call between Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reportedly failed to settle the matter, the report added, forcing the president to halt Project Freedom in order to restore US military access to the vital airspace.

Other Gulf allies were also surprised, with Trump speaking to Qatari leaders only after the operation had already started.

The report quoted a Saudi source saying that Trump and the crown prince “have been in touch regularly.”

Asked whether the announcement of Project Freedom had surprised Saudi leaders, the source responded: “The problem with that premise is that things are happening quickly in real time.”

The source added that Saudi Arabia was “very supportive of the diplomatic efforts” by Pakistan to broker an agreement between Iran and the US to end the conflict.