President Donald Trump said the United States will begin guiding stranded commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, launching a new operation called "Project Freedom" with a major U.S. military presence in one of the world's most dangerous maritime chokepoints controlled by Iran.
But almost immediately, the administration tried to draw a line between what Trump described as helping ships move safely through restricted waters and what U.S. officials insist is not a formal escort mission.
