Kenneth Katzman, a senior fellow at the Souvenir Center, said the U.S. could have stopped the Houthi advance in Yemen if President Trump had responded to Saudi Arabia's request for military assistance. Katzman stated, "Given the precision and effectiveness of U.S. air operations, U.S. airstrikes could very well have stopped the Houthi advance, and we wouldn't be facing this crisis today." He said Trump seems "confused" about how to handle the situation in Yemen and has not demonstrated the competence expected of an "effective commander-in-chief." "For decades, the U.S. has considered freedom of navigation—especially the unimpeded flow of energy in the Middle East—a core U.S. interest. Now, the U.S. is being squeezed by Iran and the Houthi rebels in Yemen," Katzman said. "Mr. Trump now seems to be standing by, doing almost nothing, while expecting Saudi Arabia to solve the problem on its own—which is unlikely to happen."
