President Donald J. Trump has signed an Executive Order to re-designate Ansar Allah, also known as the Houthis, as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO). This decision reverses the previous action taken by the Biden administration, which had removed the Houthis from the FTO list shortly after taking office.
The Executive Order initiates a process for formally designating the Iranian-backed Houthis as a terrorist organization. President Trump initially designated them as such in January 2021. However, this designation was reversed by the Biden administration within its first month in office.
According to statements from Trump's administration, "as a result of the Biden administration’s weak policy," there have been numerous attacks attributed to the Houthis. These include firing at U.S. Navy warships and attacking civilian infrastructure and commercial vessels transiting Bab al-Mandeb.
The Executive Order directs the Secretary of State to recommend re-designation within 30 days. It also outlines that under Trump's policy, the United States will work with regional partners to dismantle Houthi capabilities and operations, aiming to end their attacks on U.S. personnel and civilians, U.S. partners, and maritime shipping in the Red Sea.
Furthermore, following this re-designation, USAID and the Secretary of State are tasked with reviewing United Nations partners, nongovernmental organizations, and contractors operating in Yemen. Based on this review, USAID may end relationships with entities that have financially supported or failed to counteract Houthi activities.