The US has the most powerful navy in the world as measured by tonnage and it’s not even close [0].

What it doesn’t have, and hasn’t had for about 20 years, is a foreign policy.

The US is simply disinterested in policing the world’s shipping lanes because the US is a net oil exporter and will be for the next 100 years. Globalization brought cheap goods but stagnating wages. With the oil problem solved, the US is far more apt to build up local and regional capabilities.

[0] https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/largest-n...

The US 'could' waste trillions waging war against the Houthis in their mountain hideouts.

Or they could just let Europe-Asia trade get more expensive.