Trump Finalizes Executive Order Redesignating Houthis as Foreign Terrorist Organization

Washington Free Beacon ^ | 01/22/2025 | Adam Kredo

[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.

[FlingWingFlyer]

Should give a newly formed CIA something useful to do.

[CatOwner]

I had a few people state that they felt Trump would burn out at the pace he’s going. Actually, I think the opposite is true. Trump is one of those individuals who has to be constantly busy, to the point that he thrives on it.

[combat_boots]

Yup. He is a workaholic himself.

[parmamenian]

The Houthi party should be ending soon!

[rrrod]

More excellent!!!

[SunkenCiv]

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