Trump increased the operational tempo of drone strikes against al Qaeda in Yemen

Real Clear Defense:

Since taking office, Trump has been particularly focused on targeting al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), a major affiliate of the al-Qaeda network that operates primarily in Yemen and is a significant threat to the West. The Trump administration has escalated strike activity and walked back Obama era policies that restricted military and CIA operations in Yemen. As his first year in office comes to an end, it’s worth looking back at the president’s strike activity as a marker for what’s to come under, as well as after, his administration. How Trump dictates operations against AQAP will hold lasting consequences for future counterterrorism policies, regional stability, and the evolution of al-Qaeda’s threat to the U.S.

Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula became the terrorist network’s successor after the 9/11 attack forced its central leadership into hiding and out of Southwest Asia. The move was intended to refocus efforts on the Middle East and ensure operations would be run by an Arab affiliate well situated in the region. The terrorist organization has been more persistent in launching attacks against the U.S. and Europe than any other group, such as the 2015 attack on Charlie Hebdo in Paris and the unsuccessful underwear bomber attack in 2009. In 2016, the Obama administration described AQAP as “the most active and dangerous affiliate of al-Qaeda today.”
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Strikes against AQAP have become more aggressive under the Trump Administration. According to New America, the Trump Administration has conducted 44 strikes so far this year, 42 by drones and two ground operations. These numbers do indicate an escalation in strikes compared to the number of strikes in the past three years.

As noted in New America’s reporting, “since President Trump took office, the Pentagon reports multiple series of strikes that are not possible to verify individually. By the Pentagon’s estimates, Trump’s counterterrorism strikes exceed what is represented here.” This is evident in the significant differences between reports; the Bureau of Investigative Journalism reports the number of confirmed strikes in 2017 as 124, with 50 alone in the month of March — the highest number of U.S. strikes in Yemen ever in one month.

Trump’s agenda in Yemen is an about-face from the policies pursued by his predecessor. Under the approval of the Trump administration, the Pentagon has declared parts of three provinces in Yemen “war zones,” thereby loosening strike rules. In a reverse of Obama era policies, Trump eased restrictions on the CIA’s involvement in drone strikes by reinstating strike authority for the intelligence agency. This move no longer mandates cooperation between the intelligence community and the military to locate targets and execute strikes, and does not require the agency to disclose casualty statistics.

The White House has also moved to increase U.S. presence in or surrounding Yemen. Earlier this year, the Department of Defense announced that an unspecified number of Special Ops troops were sent to Yemen to help Emirati partners push AQAP out of their de-facto capital and provide “surveillance, aerial refueling, and close air support.” The Bataan Amphibious Ready Group and the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, consisting of more than 4,000 sailors and Marines, were stationed outside of Yemen in March 2017 for seven months.
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Trump made it clear during the campaign he would take the gloves off in dealing with Islamic terrorist and "bomb the sh** out of them."  It looks like another campaign promise he has kept.  He has allowed teh military to make decisions previously made by amateurs in Obama's White House.