Trump pauses effort to escort ships in Strait of Hormuz, citing deal progress

US President Donald Trump announced a temporary pause in the operation to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz, citing ‘great progress’ toward a comprehensive agreement with Iran. The halt in operations has exacerbated the global energy crisis and led to a sharp drop in US crude oil futures. The US opposes Iran’s control of maritime traffic and plans to pause the operation until a final agreement is secured.