Trump says US is talking to Houthis, who want a deal
The comments come as Saudi Arabia seeks a two-week truce with the group through Omani mediation.
Published
President Trump told NewsNation the United States is in direct talks with the Houthis, and that the group would also like to reach a deal. He gave no further detail on the substance of those talks.
US officials have separately been holding talks with the Houthis in Oman over attacks on Red Sea shipping. Saudi Arabia is pursuing a two-week truce with the group through the same Omani channel, with an agreement possible by the end of this week. The push follows a Houthi drone launch at the Saudi city of Taif.
Pressure on the group's main backer has come from several directions. Pakistan's army chief has urged Iran to persuade the Houthis to stop targeting Saudi energy facilities, and China has pressed Iran to rein in the group after a Saudi appeal. Trump himself said on Wednesday that Iran is not ready to make a deal, and told Axios on Thursday he is weighing a resumption of large-scale attacks to end the war with Iran.
A direct channel to the Houthis suggests Trump is treating the group as a party he can negotiate with rather than only fight. Middle East supply risks have stayed elevated because of the US-Iran conflict and Houthi threats to shipping, and a deal that curbs attacks on vessels would remove a source of that risk premium and support energy prices. How far that goes still depends on whether Iran is willing, or able, to hold its proxy back.