Green Bay Reporter

Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) expressed his disappointment with the Biden administration's decision to re-list the Houthis as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGT) without designating them as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. In a statement released today, Gallagher criticized the administration's approach, stating that it leaves the country without critical tools to punish the Houthis for their terrorist activities.

Gallagher questioned the administration's claim that the SDGT listing alone provides "better flexibility," asking what this flexibility is intended for. He suggested that this flexibility could be aimed at facilitating the ongoing nuclear negotiations with Iran or allowing the Houthis to receive more weapons from sponsors of terrorism.

According to Gallagher, instead of implementing a maximum-pressure campaign against Iran and its proxies to restore deterrence in the region, President Biden is implementing a minimum-pressure campaign. He argued that this approach sends a message to the Houthis and Iran that the United States is unwilling to take strong action against them.

Gallagher highlighted the fact that the administration has already issued five sanctions waivers for the SDGT listing of the Houthis, which he sees as evidence of the lack of seriousness in addressing the threats posed by the group. He warned that unless the President takes these threats seriously, acts of aggression against US servicemembers and international vessels in the Red Sea will likely continue.

The Biden administration's decision to re-list the Houthis as SDGT without designating them as a Foreign Terrorist Organization has drawn criticism from Gallagher, who believes that it falls short in addressing the terrorist activities of the group and their connections to Iran.