Reprinted from John’s Substack:
On 5 May 2026, I was on “Judging Freedom” talking with the Judge about the latest developments in the Iran war. We focused mainly on “Project Freedom,” President Trump’s plan that he announced on 3 May 2026 to effectively open the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping. The US set that plan in motion on the following day, 4 May 2026, which led to Iran and the US shooting at each other’s boats and ships and a few commercial vessels as well. Most importantly, Iran struck the UAE port of Fujairah, which sits outside the Persian Gulf and allows the UAE to ship a substantial portion of its oil abroad. One day later (5 May 2026), the president halted “Project Freedom,” which was clearly a failure, as the Strait was not opened. We are now back to talking about different proposals for ending the war, coupled with occasional threats from Trump officials to go back to bombing Iran if it does not accept US demands. There is no evidence — at least in the public record — that any kind of meaningful deal is in sight.
