US President Donald Trump says the United States would respond if Yemen’s Houthi movement carries out threats to blockade shipping in the Red Sea that would affect Saudi Arabia’s commercial and energy exports. In remarks to reporters and during an Oval Office meeting while hosting Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, Trump said the US “will just have to take care of business” and that “we take care of it” if the scenario occurs. He referenced prior US action against the Houthis, saying the group had not issued threats “in a while” after the US “did what we did originally.”
The statements come after the Houthis declared a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia on Monday. Multiple reports say the move raises concerns that closing a key alternative shipping route could disrupt crude oil exports and contribute to energy shortages, with potential knock-on effects for the global economy. The US statements do not specify what form a response would take, but they indicate the US would act if the blockade is implemented and threatens shipping through the region.
