Saudi Arabia ‘Angered’ by Trump’s Project Freedom, Suspended US Access to Bases and Airspace, NBC Reports

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WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s sudden decision to pause “Project Freedom” — the U.S. naval mission to escort ships through the blockaded Strait of Hormuz — was forced by a furious Saudi Arabia, which suspended American access to its airspace and a key military base, according to an NBC News report citing two U.S. officials .

The dramatic reversal occurred less than 48 hours after Trump announced the operation on Truth Social, a move that reportedly caught Gulf allies entirely off guard and angered Saudi leadership .

🚫 ‘Angered’ Riyadh Shuts the Door

The announcement of Project Freedom was made without sufficient prior coordination with key Gulf partners . This lack of consultation reportedly infuriated the Saudi leadership, which responded by notifying the United States that it would not allow U.S. aircraft to fly from Prince Sultan Air Base — southeast of Riyadh — or traverse Saudi airspace to support the mission .

Prince Sultan Air Base is strategically vital for U.S. operations. It hosts American fighter jets, aerial refueling tankers, and air defense assets, which were intended to provide a “defensive umbrella” for the ships being escorted through the strait . The base had been used for missions during the initial U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, which began on February 28 .

Without access to Saudi airspace, the U.S. military’s ability to provide air cover over the Persian Gulf would have been severely constrained. As one U.S. official told NBC, “For geographic reasons, using airspace along borders requires cooperation from regional partners, and in some cases, there is no alternative” .

📞 ‘The Call That Didn’t Work’

According to the report, a call between President Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) failed to resolve the crisis . The issue was not resolved despite the high-level contact, leaving the U.S. without the necessary access to launch the operation.

Other Gulf allies were also caught off guard. Trump reportedly spoke with Qatar’s leaders only after the operation had already begun . A Middle Eastern diplomat told NBC that the United States did not coordinate the plan with Oman before Trump’s announcement. “The US made an announcement and then coordinated with us,” the diplomat said, though he added that Omani officials “were not upset or angry” .

The White House attempted to push back, with an official stating that “regional allies were notified in advance” . However, a Saudi source, when asked about the surprise, told NBC: “The problem with that premise is that things are happening quickly in real time” .

⏸️ A Pause to ‘Restore Access’

Trump ultimately ordered the halt to Project Freedom about 36 hours after it began . Publicly, he stated the pause was to allow time for diplomatic progress toward a “complete and final” agreement with Iran .

However, the NBC report indicates the pause was a tactical necessity to restore the U.S. military’s access to critical airspace . After the suspension, the Saudi source noted that while the Kingdom did not support the Hormuz efforts, it remains “very supportive of the diplomatic efforts” being made by Pakistan and others to help the U.S. and Iran reach a deal to end the war .

A Saudi official also confirmed that the Crown Prince and other Saudi officials have been “in touch regularly” with President Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, and CENTCOM .

📋 Key Takeaways for Reflecto News Readers

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