Does Trump Join a War the Saudis Can't Finish? - Colonel Douglas Macgregor (Video)

In this 13 October 2026 published video, host Daniel Davis talks with retired U.S. Army Colonel Douglas Macgregor who asserts that President Trump is unlikely to intervene militarily to rescue Saudi Arabia from the Houthis, as he views the Saudi state as potentially unrescuable from dissolution. Furthermore, Macgregor notes that regional conflicts have merged into a single multi-front crisis, exposing the limitations of both U.S. and Saudi power against a battle-hardened Houthi movement. 

President Donald Trump announced that the United States is evaluating potential military action alongside Saudi Arabia following a series of deadly drone and missile strikes by Iran-backed Houthi rebels against Saudi targets, including Riyadh’s main airport. Over the weekend, Trump stated that the U.S. “may” join Saudi Arabia’s strikes on the militia group, though a definitive decision to directly engage in the conflict has not yet been confirmed. 

The shift in consideration follows a dramatic escalation in Houthi military operations. A Houthi projectile struck the complex housing Terminals 3 and 4 at King Khalid International Airport (KKIA). The attack killed at least 13 people—including one U.S. national—and wounded over 300 others. The Houthis claimed responsibility for multiple operations within a 24-hour window, hitting Saudi airports and energy infrastructure, which triggered a near-complete shutdown of public air traffic into Riyadh. In response to Trump’s statements, a Houthi official warned on Monday that any direct U.S. military intervention would trigger a “swift and painful” response against American interests. 

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has heavily lobbied the Trump administration for direct defense support, presenting a significant strategic dilemma for the White House. The U.S. is already actively locked in a broader war with Iran. Opening up a direct, active front against the Houthis in Yemen threatens to further expand the conflict and exacerbate global economic shocks. The U.S. has experienced dwindling interceptor and missile stocks due to the ongoing war with Iran. Simultaneously, Trump faces high domestic fuel prices ahead of the November midterm elections, creating intense political pressure to resolve—rather than expand—the regional conflict. While Trump has wavered on launching direct airstrikes, the U.S. military is already deeply involved behind the scenes, assisting Riyadh with intelligence sharing, target identification, aerial refueling, and tactical planning. 

Saudi Arabia faces a critical depletion of its air defense systems. According to regional officials, the kingdom is running low on missile interceptors and has been forced to request urgent air defense deployments from international allies, including France, Britain, Pakistan, and Egypt.

While Saudi diplomats argue that the Houthi attacks constitute clear “war crimes” demanding a decisive military response, the country’s leadership remains caught between the necessity for external military assistance and regional anxieties. Diplomatic sources note that the kingdom recently denied a mediated offer from Israel to join the ground fight against the Houthis, primarily due to fears of a severe public backlash within Saudi Arabia. 

https://youtu.be/RV_CfVuTGAA