North Korea, a country that routinely starves its own people and imprisons dissenters in labor camps, is suddenly concerned about “sovereignty” and “territorial integrity” after President Donald Trump launched airstrikes against the Iran-backed Houthi militia in Yemen. That’s rich.

The latest round of U.S. military action came as the Houthis resumed their attacks on commercial vessels in the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, one of the world’s most crucial shipping routes. Trump didn’t hesitate, accusing the Houthis of running “an unrelenting campaign of piracy, violence, and terrorism” that has disrupted global trade and cost billions. Pyongyang, meanwhile, is clutching its pearls, warning that U.S. military action will make the region “gloomier”—as if the region wasn’t already in chaos, thanks to its good friends in Tehran.

U.S. Fighter aircraft shoot down Iran-backed Houthi one-way-attack drones with AGR-20 FALCO Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) Laser Guided 2.75" Rockets.#HouthisAreTerrorists pic.twitter.com/bDoVnKwotc

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 19, 2025

Footage released by CENTCOM showed the USS Harry S. Truman launching Tomahawk missiles and F/A-18E Super Hornets targeting Houthi positions. Meanwhile, the Houthis, whose firepower is a joke compared to the U.S. Navy, claimed to have launched multiple attacks on the Truman and its escorts with cruise missiles and drones. Those attacks, like most of their efforts, were intercepted and neutralized.

What’s happening here is simple: Trump is reasserting American strength. For years, the Biden administration let Iranian proxies run wild, attacking ships, launching rockets, and threatening global trade. Now, under Trump, the gloves are off. His message to Iran and its terrorist puppets is clear—keep pushing, and you’ll be dealt with.

The bigger picture? North Korea’s criticism is a reminder that Trump’s foreign policy is rattling all the right people. Pyongyang, Beijing, Moscow, and Tehran would love nothing more than for the U.S. to back off and let chaos reign. That’s not happening under Trump. The Houthis, despite their chest-thumping, are burning through their weapons stockpile while U.S. naval forces keep the Red Sea under control.

While leftist think tanks wring their hands over America’s “costly munitions,” here’s the reality: defending global trade and U.S. interests is not optional. Trump knows it, and the world’s bad actors know it too. The question now is whether Iran is foolish enough to escalate—because if they do, they’ll find out just how serious Trump is about stopping them.