President Donald Trump is back in action, and while there are a lot of domestic policies he is focusing on in his first days in office, there are some foreign policy issues that he is managing to pull off. One of those policies requires undoing a major mistake made during Joe Biden’s administration, which they then tried to cover up on their way out the door.
In 2021, the Biden administration removed the Houthis’ designation as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO). Since then, the group has become extremely active and hostile, particularly in the Red Sea.
The History of the Houthi’s Terror Designation
In 2021, in the final weeks of his first presidency, Trump officially labeled the Houthis as both an FTO and as specially designated global terrorists (SDGT). The move was aimed at cutting off financial and other support to the group, crippling their logistical capabilities in the region.
However, shortly after taking office, Biden revoked the designations, citing humanitarian concerns and warnings from foreign aid organizations. At the time, the Biden administration argued that the FTO label hindered the delivery of food and medical aid to Yemeni civilians. However, it allowed the Houthis to continue their military activities, including attacks on civilian and military targets in the Red Sea.
Days before leaving office, however, Biden reinstated the SDGT designation after months of Houthi aggression in the Red Sea. By simply focusing on the SDGT label, the Biden administration was hoping to still cripple the organization’s funding while avoiding any humanitarian issues.
Trump’s New Executive Order
However, Trump wasted no time in targeting the group for full FTO status, which would severely limit how much aid went into Yemen, effectively strangling the Houthis from receiving assistance from anyone except their current backer, Iran.
Trump’s executive action re-applied the FTO status to the Houthis, while also directing incoming Secretary of State Marco Rubio to complete the designation process within 15 days. It also orders USAID to review and terminate contracts with any organizations working with the Houthis.
The Trump administration is argues that the Biden approach was too soft, effectively emboldening the Houthis. The organization launched more than 100 attacks on commercial vessels and U.S. Navy ships in the Red Sea in recent years.
The Difference Between FTO and SDGT
While both designations label an organization as a terrorist group, their legal implications in the U.S. are vastly different. SDGT status is considered the less “harsh” of the two and primarily focuses on financial restrictions without carrying the same legal weight as FTO status.
The FTO designation imposes far stricter penalties on the organization, including travel bans for members and criminalizing support for the group. Trump re-designating the Houthis as an FTO will bring about broader legal and enforcement powers against both individuals and organizations supporting them.
A Shift in Foreign Policy
The move not only goes after the Houthis but also works toward normalizing relations with Saudi Arabia and UAE – relations that were heavily strained under Joe Biden.
Several humanitarian groups remain critical of the move, but it does show the Trump administration is taking threats in the Red Sea and to our allies very seriously. While relations in the region return to normal, Trump’s actions go a long way to help bring stability to a region plagued by instability, particularly as the Biden administration seemed content to let the Middle East burn.
