White House chief of staff Denis McDonough on Sunday sought to shore up the Obama administration’s message on recent events in the Middle East, stressing that the collapse of Yemen’s central government will not derail strategic counterterrorism operations in the region.

“I think it’s very important to recognize that governance in Yemen has always been difficult,” McDonough said on CBS’s “Face the Nation.” “We will continue to press on the ground, including today, to make decisions transparently, pursuant to a political agreement, so that we can work with them to keep on the offensive against al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.”

McDonough’s comments came during a post-State of the Union blitz that included appearances on all five major Sunday talk shows, a morning swing known as “a full Ginsburg.” Predictably, given recent events — although nonetheless striking — the domestic policy agenda outlined by the president in last week’s annual address took a back seat to questions about the administration’s foreign policy.

News that Yemen’s government has been toppled by Shiite rebels known as Houthis — who oppose American influence in the region — took particular priority.

“We don’t have a partner now, do we?” pushed ABC “This Week” host George Stephanopoulos before questioning whether the administration will be able to work with Houthis in the fight against al-Qaeda.

“I’m not going to jump to any conclusions,” McDonough said. “I am going to say to the parties on the ground that they have to resolve this transparently, peacefully, politically. And we will, while they’re doing that, continue to make sure that we’re focused on the threat to us and to our people.”

McDonough, speaking on behalf of the White House, stressed that the United States would not intervene to stabilize the government in Yemen.

“We cannot be an occupying force in a place like Yemen or in Syria and hope that we will be responsible for bringing this, as you say, ‘chaos’ to an end. We ought to train them, the security forces. We ought to press their political leaders to come up with political resolutions on the ground,” McDonough said on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

He added: “We will take action to protect the American people. This president has done that. He will continue to do that.”

Two senior senators recommended on Sunday that Obama send more troops — or at least Special Operations forces and intelligence teams — to combat the rising anti-American forces in Yemen.