FACT SHEET: President Donald J. Trump Re-designates the Houthis as a Foreign Terrorist Organization

Fact Sheets

TLDR

This executive order’s fact sheet critiques Biden’s 2021 reversal of Trump’s Foreign Terrorist Organization designation of the Houthis, but omits key context about humanitarian concerns, alternative sanctions implemented in 2024, and the actual timeline of escalated Houthi attacks which began in late 2023 during the Israel-Hamas conflict, rather than immediately after the 2021 designation removal.

This is a “fact sheet” about the “DESIGNATION OF ANSAR ALLAH AS A FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATION” memorandum.

The basic timeline presented is accurate:

  • Trump did designate the Houthis as an FTO in January 2021 before leaving office
  • Biden did reverse this designation within one month of taking office in February 2021

The fact sheet implies that Biden’s reversal of the FTO designation directly led to increased Houthi attacks. However:

  • The major escalation of Houthi attacks began in October 2023 following the Israel-Hamas conflict
  • By December 2023, the Houthis had conducted over 100 attacks regardless of their terrorist designation status

The fact sheet omits that:

  • The Biden administration redesignated the Houthis as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGT) in January 2024
  • This designation was specifically chosen over FTO status to allow continued humanitarian aid while still imposing sanctions

The fact sheet fails to acknowledge:

  • The original removal of the FTO designation was specifically done to prevent humanitarian aid disruption in Yemen
  • Aid organizations had warned that the FTO designation would accelerate Yemen’s humanitarian crisis

The fact sheet also omits relevant context about:

  • The Navy has defended against nearly 400 attack drones and missiles in the Red Sea since November 2023
  • The Houthis have attacked over 111 vessels since November 2023, resulting in four civilian deaths
  • The attacks have significantly disrupted global maritime trade, forcing ships to reroute around Africa

The fact sheet appears designed to present a politically motivated narrative rather than a complete picture of the complex situation regarding Houthi designation and activities.

REVERSING THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION’S REMOVAL OF THE HOUTHIS FROM THE FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATION LIST: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order Re-Designating Ansar Allah (also known as the Houthis) as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.

  • The Executive Order sets in motion a process by which Ansar Allah, also known as the Houthis, will be designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.

    • President Trump designated the Iranian-backed Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO) in January 2021.
    • Within one month of taking office, the Biden administration reversed the Houthis’ designation.
    • As a result of the Biden administration’s weak policy, the Houthis have fired at U.S. Navy warships dozens of times, launched numerous attacks on civilian infrastructure in partner nations, and attacked commercial vessels transiting Bab al-Mandeb more than 100 times.
    • The Executive Order directs the Secretary of State, in consultation with others, to recommend the re-designation of the Houthis within 30 days.

  • Under President Trump, it is now the policy of the United States to cooperate with its regional partners to eliminate the Houthis’ capabilities and operations, deprive them of resources, and thereby end their attacks on U.S. personnel and civilians, U.S. partners, and maritime shipping in the Red Sea.

  • Following the Houthis’ re-designation as an FTO, the Executive Order also directs the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Secretary of State to jointly review United Nations partners, nongovernmental organizations, and contractors operating in Yemen.

  • Following this review, the President will direct USAID to end its relationship with entities that have made payments to the Houthis, or which have opposed international efforts to counter the Houthis while turning a blind eye towards the Houthis’ terrorism and abuses.