My View

I'm of the belief that America must stand with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Houthis must lose, and our allies must win. It’s that simple.

I understand the importance of the United States-Saudi relationship from personal experience. As a U.S. Army Reserve intelligence officer, I deployed to Saudi Arabia.

I saw firsthand the strategic importance of the Kingdom, the professionalism of our military partnership, and the threats confronting our allies across the region.

I was on the ground as the Houthis were launching missiles towards our mission assets.

I can say with confidence firsthand that the Houthis have never deviated from their terrorist activities.

Saudi Arabia is not some distant country whose security has no bearing on our own.

It is a critical American security partner, a stabilizing force in the Middle East, and an essential player in the global energy economy.

When Saudi territory, infrastructure, and vessels are attacked, the consequences do not remain confined to the Arabian Peninsula.

They affect energy prices, international trade, maritime security, and American families.

The Bab al-Mandab Strait is one of the world's most important maritime chokepoints.

The Houthis' advances along Yemen's Red Sea coast and their ability to threaten shipping give Iran greater leverage over the movement of oil and commercial goods.

Combined with Tehran's ability to disrupt the Strait of Hormuz, that power could allow Iran and its proxies to hold two vital waterways hostage.

That is not merely a Saudi problem. It is an American national security threat.

We should also be clear about who the Houthis are; they are a U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization. 

They are not a legitimate government, or an honest negotiating partner, or a movement whose promises should carry any weight in Washington.

They are Iranian-backed terrorists who have attacked commercial vessels, threatened American forces, targeted Israel, and launched missiles and drones at civilian infrastructure.

They are not to be trusted.

Their pledge to spare American and Israeli vessels is not an act of peace.

It is a tactical maneuver intended to divide the United States from Saudi Arabia while allowing the Houthis to continue attacking one of our most important regional allies. America must not legitimize that cynical bargain.

These terrorists understand only strength. Every concession is interpreted as weakness. Every hesitation gives them more time to strengthen their positions, expand their arsenal, and prepare for their next attack.

If Washington accepts a pledge protecting only American and Israeli vessels while leaving Saudi Arabia exposed, we send a disastrous message: Terrorists can divide the United States from its allies by offering selective immunity.

U.S. President Donald Trump understands that peace is achieved through strength, not appeasement. His America First foreign policy recognizes that protecting American interests does not require abandoning our friends.

As I have said repeatedly, America First does not mean America alone.

No one has been more vocal on this than me because I understand how important it is for America to have strong allies globally.

Standing with Saudi Arabia does not mean writing a blank check or committing the United States to another endless war.

It means providing the intelligence, defensive capabilities, logistical assistance, and diplomatic backing necessary for our partners to prevail.

It means tightening sanctions on Houthi leaders and the Iranian networks supplying them.

It means expanding efforts to intercept Iranian weapons shipments before those weapons can be used against Saudi cities, energy facilities, or commercial vessels.

It also means making clear that freedom of navigation is not subject to negotiation with terrorists.

The Houthis must not be permitted to control the Red Sea coast, threaten the Bab al-Mandab Strait, or establish an Iranian missile platform on Saudi Arabia’s southern border.

Any political settlement in Yemen that leaves the Houthis militarily dominant would not produce peace. It would reward terrorism and prepare the battlefield for the next war.

The United States has a choice. We can take comfort in a temporary promise from an Iranian proxy, or we can stand firmly beside an ally that has stood with us for decades.

The choice should be clear; America must stand with Saudi Arabia. We must confront Iran’s campaign of regional domination, preserve freedom of navigation, and ensure that the Houthis are defeated.

Our enemies must never be allowed to decide which of our allies we will defend.

When terrorists threaten our partners, the United States must answer with strength, resolve, and unmistakable clarity every single time.

The Houthis must lose. Saudi Arabia and America’s allies must win. It’s that simple.