“As a result of the Biden administration’s weak policy, the Houthis have fired at US Navy warships dozens of times, launched numerous attacks on civilian infrastructure in partner nations, and attacked commercial vessels transiting Bab al-Mandeb more than 1
President Donald Trump has redesignated the Houthi rebels as a Foreign Terrorist organization, reversing the Biden Administration’s removal of the designation from the group.
On Wednesday, President Trump signed an Executive Order re-designating Ansar Allah (also known as the Houthis) as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO).
President Trump originally designated the Iranian-backed Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO) in January 2021. However, within one month of taking office, the Biden administration reversed the Houthis’ designation, and removed the group’s dual designations as both a FTO and “Specially Designated Global Terrorists” (SDGT).
Biden re-designated the group as an SDGT in January 2024 after the group targeted shipping in the Red Sea. The Houthis currently control much of western Yemen, including the capital city of Sanaa, and have been at war with Yemen’s government and a Saudi-led coalition since 2014.
According to the White House, “As a result of the Biden administration’s weak policy, the Houthis have fired at US Navy warships dozens of times, launched numerous attacks on civilian infrastructure in partner nations, and attacked commercial vessels transiting Bab al-Mandeb more than 100 times.”
The Executive Order directs Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in consultation with others, to recommend the re-designation of the Houthis within 30 days. The Executive Order also directs the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Secretary of State to jointly review United Nations partners, nongovernmental organizations, and contractors operating in Yemen. Following the review, President Trump will direct USAID to end its relationship with entities that have made payments to the Houthis, or which have opposed international efforts to counter the Houthis while turning a blind eye towards the Houthis’ terrorism and abuses.
The White House said in a statement, “Under President Trump, it is now the policy of the United States to cooperate with its regional partners to eliminate the Houthis’ capabilities and operations, deprive them of resources, and thereby end their attacks on US personnel and civilians, US partners, and maritime shipping in the Red Sea."
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