Listen to the article
President Trump has signed an executive order directing Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to begin designating specific chapters of the Muslim Brotherhood as Foreign Terrorist Organizations and Specially Designated Global Terrorists.
The order invokes the Immigration and Nationality Act and International Emergency Economic Powers Act, initiating a 30-day review process led by the State and Treasury Departments to identify Brotherhood chapters in Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon for possible designation. If implemented, these designations would freeze assets, restrict travel, and criminalize material support for affiliated entities.
In the executive order, the administration specifically cited the group’s involvement in violence across the Middle East, including rocket attacks on Israel following the October 7, 2023 Hamas assault.
“The Muslim Brotherhood, founded in Egypt in 1928, has developed into a transnational network with chapters across the Middle East and beyond,” the executive order states. “Its chapters in Lebanon, Jordan, and Egypt engage in or facilitate and support violence and destabilization campaigns that harm their own regions, United States citizens, and United States interests.”
The order specifically references incidents following the October 7 attack, noting that “the military wing of the Lebanese chapter of the Muslim Brotherhood joined Hamas, Hezbollah, and Palestinian factions to launch multiple rocket attacks against both civilian and military targets within Israel.”
The document also cites that a senior leader of the Egyptian chapter called for violent attacks against U.S. partners and interests, while Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood leaders have provided material support to Hamas’s militant wing.
Trump had signaled his intentions over the weekend in an interview with Just the News, stating the designation “will be done in the strongest and most powerful terms” and that “final documents are being drawn.”
The executive order comes shortly after Texas designated the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization, and follows the release of a comprehensive 200-page study by the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy (ISGAP). The ISGAP report warned about the Muslim Brotherhood’s growing influence in the United States, claiming the organization has gained access to government agencies, advised on American civil rights policy, infiltrated educational institutions, and built an extensive social media presence.
According to the report, the group has allegedly targeted U.S. government agencies for infiltration, including the State Department, Department of Homeland Security, and Department of Justice, through career appointments and advisory roles.
Charles Asher Small, executive director of ISGAP, expressed support for the president’s action, stating, “We welcome President Trump’s statements and the growing recognition that the Muslim Brotherhood, its ideology and network pose a serious challenge to the United States and democratic societies.”
This move represents a significant shift in U.S. policy toward the Muslim Brotherhood. The organization, with its complex network of political, social, and religious activities across multiple countries, has long been a subject of debate in U.S. foreign policy circles. Several Middle Eastern nations, including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, have already designated the Brotherhood as a terrorist organization.
Critics of the Brotherhood point to its ideological connections with more militant groups and its stated goal of establishing Islamic governance, while others argue the organization has evolved in different ways across various countries, with some chapters participating in democratic processes.
The designation process initiated by Trump’s order will now require the State and Treasury Departments to evaluate specific chapters based on evidence of terrorist activity, with potential far-reaching implications for U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East and the broader Muslim world.
Fact Checker
Verify the accuracy of this article using The Disinformation Commission analysis and real-time sources.
10 Comments
This seems like a divisive and controversial move. I wonder about the justification and potential consequences of designating these Brotherhood chapters as terrorist organizations.
Designating groups as terrorists can be a complex and sensitive issue. It will be important to closely examine the evidence and legal basis behind this decision.
Counterterrorism efforts are important, but this move seems to raise more questions than answers. I’m curious to learn more about the administration’s rationale and goals.
Careful analysis of the evidence and potential consequences will be crucial here. These types of decisions can have far-reaching impacts.
The Muslim Brotherhood has a long and complex history in the Middle East. This order could have significant geopolitical implications that merit close scrutiny.
Designating any group as a terrorist organization is a major step. I hope the administration provides a clear and well-reasoned justification for this action.
This is a bold and potentially risky move by the administration. I wonder how it will be received by key regional allies and partners in the Middle East.
Designating the Brotherhood as a terrorist group could lead to unintended escalation and instability in an already volatile region. Caution is advised.
Cracking down on extremism is understandable, but I hope the administration is acting on solid intelligence and with a clear strategic vision here.
These types of decisions require nuance and careful consideration. I’m interested to see how this plays out diplomatically and on the ground.