And the Houtis were attacking AMERICAN SHIPS
If President Jefferson had authorized the U.S. Navy to protect Danish ships flagged in Panama or Bermuda and transporting cargo from Asia to Europe with crews of Filipino sailors, he would have been set on fire on the front lawn of Monticello.
If this was the early 1800s and President Jefferson was dealing with a crisis involving the Barbary pirates, he wouldn't have given a fraction of a damn if those pirates were attacking European ships. There would have been no U.S. Navy ships over there for the Barbary pirates to attack.