WATCH: Trump says U.S. would have to 'take care' of potential Houthi blockade of Red Sea

By — Associated Press Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-trump-says-u-s-would-have-to-take-care-of-potential-houthi-blockade-of-red-sea Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter WATCH: Trump says U.S. would have to 'take care' of potential Houthi blockade of Red Sea Politics Jul 21, 2026 4:25 PM EDT Asked about his level of concern about a blockade of the Red Sea by the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, President Donald Trump suggested Tuesday it wasn't an immediate problem. Watch Trump's remarks in the video player above. "So far, it hasn't happened," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. "I think that if there is something like that, we'll just have to take care of business." READ MORE: Yemen's Iranian-backed Houthis announce a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia The Houthi-run SABA news agency said six ships were forced to reroute on Tuesday after being warned by the rebels, a day after they announced a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia. But Trump said "we've had no problem with the Houthis" recently, and "they've had no problem with us for a long period of time, including during this conflict." A free press is a cornerstone of a healthy democracy. Support trusted journalism and civil dialogue. Donate now