Trump Finalizes Executive Order Redesignating Houthis as Foreign Terrorist Organization

Skip to comments.

Posted on 01/23/2025 8:53:31 AM PST by DFG

The administration readied the order Wednesday afternoon, and President Donald Trump signed it just past 5 p.m. The order fully restores tough American sanctions on the Yemen-based terror group that the Biden administration lifted in 2021. Trump added the Houthis to America’s FTO list in the waning days of his first administration, but the Biden White House reversed the move amid efforts to ease diplomatic tensions with Iran.

The Biden administration did redesignate the Houthis as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist outfit last January, when the Houthis launched a wave of attacks on global shipping vessels. While that designation does provide for sanctions, it is less severe than an FTO designation, which carries criminal penalties for anyone caught providing material support to the terror outfit in question.

Trump’s rush to redesignate the Houthis signals an early desire to confront Iran’s top proxies and further help Israel crush Tehran’s regional terrorism enterprise.

Trump’s order, an advance copy of which was reviewed by the Free Beacon, calls out Iran for sponsoring the Houthi’s ongoing Middle East terror spree, which kicked into high gear after Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack on Israel. The Houthis have conducted more than 300 direct attacks on Israel since October 2023 and are responsible for interrupting global maritime traffic in the Red Sea.

Trump’s order declares that it is now U.S. policy to eliminate the Houthi capabilities and operations, depriving it of the resources needed to continue attacking American interests in the region.

Within 30 days of the executive order's enactment, newly sworn-in Secretary of State Marco Rubio will present Trump with a proposal to relist the Houthis as an FTO, a designation that is applied via the State Department. Once that report is issued, Rubio can begin implementing the new sanctions.

(Excerpt) Read more at freebeacon.com ...

Hey! FReepers!
Help Fill The Tank!
How About It? Huh?
It Ain't Askin' Too Much
Ya Know....

Click here: to donate by Credit Card

Or here: to donate by PayPal

Or by mail to: Free Republic, LLC - PO Box 9771 - Fresno, CA 93794

Thank you very much and God bless you.

1 posted on 01/23/2025 8:53:31 AM PST by DFG

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson