Trump Designates Three Muslim Brotherhood Branches as Terrorist Organizations

In a decision with far-reaching geopolitical and diplomatic implications, US President Donald Trump’s administration has formally designated three branches of the Muslim Brotherhood in the Middle East as terrorist organizations, fulfilling a long-standing pledge to crack down on groups accused of supporting militant activity.

The move, announced on Tuesday by the US Treasury and State departments, targets Muslim Brotherhood affiliates operating in Lebanon, Jordan, and Egypt. US officials allege that these groups have either directly supported or facilitated violent activities linked to Hamas, which Washington has long classified as a terrorist organization.

According to official statements, the Lebanese branch of the Muslim Brotherhood has been designated by the State Department as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO), the most severe classification under US law. This designation criminalizes the provision of material support to the group and enables sweeping financial and legal penalties.

Meanwhile, the Treasury Department designated the Muslim Brotherhood chapters in Egypt and Jordan as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs), citing their alleged financial, logistical, and ideological support for Hamas and related militant networks.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the action as the opening phase of a broader campaign. “These designations reflect the initial steps in a sustained and comprehensive effort to counter violence and destabilization associated with Muslim Brotherhood chapters wherever they operate,” Rubio said in a statement.

“The United States will continue to take decisive action to deny these organizations the resources, legitimacy, and operational space required to support or encourage terrorism,” he added.

The designations stem from an executive order signed by President Trump last year, which instructed Secretary Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to determine the most effective means of sanctioning organizations deemed to be involved in or supportive of violent and destabilizing activities threatening US interests and regional stability.

John Hurley, the Treasury Department’s undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, underscored the administration’s rationale. “The Muslim Brotherhood has inspired, nurtured, and financed terrorist groups such as Hamas, which pose a direct threat to the safety and security of the American people and our allies,” Hurley said.

Leaders and representatives of the Muslim Brotherhood, however, have consistently rejected allegations of terrorism, maintaining that the organization is a political and social movement that does not endorse violence.

The executive order specifically highlighted the Lebanese, Jordanian, and Egyptian chapters, citing intelligence assessments that a wing of the Lebanese branch fired rockets at Israel following Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack, which triggered the ongoing war in Gaza. The order also alleged that senior figures within the Jordanian chapter had publicly and materially supported Hamas.

Egypt, where the Muslim Brotherhood was founded in 1928, outlawed the group in 2013 following the military-led removal of President Mohamed Morsi. Jordan followed suit earlier this year, formally banning the Brotherhood in April amid rising tensions over its political activities.

Experts say the US move is likely to be welcomed by some of Washington’s regional partners. Nathan Brown, a professor of political science and international affairs at George Washington University, noted that allies such as Egypt and the United Arab Emirates have long viewed the Muslim Brotherhood as a destabilizing force.

Brown also warned that the designations could have significant legal and humanitarian consequences. “This could make US authorities far less inclined to question or challenge official actions taken against Muslim Brotherhood members seeking asylum or residency,” he said.

He added that the designations could affect visa applications and asylum claims not only in the United States but also in Western Europe and Canada, where security vetting often aligns with US terrorist listings.

The decision revives a debate that dates back to Trump’s first term. In 2019, the Republican president publicly weighed the possibility of designating the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization, but internal divisions within the administration delayed action at the time.

Since then, pressure from conservative lawmakers and influential right-wing figures has intensified. Prominent Trump allies, including political activist Laura Loomer, have repeatedly urged the administration to take a tougher stance against the Brotherhood.

At the domestic level, momentum against the group has also grown. Earlier this year, two Republican-led US states—Texas and Florida—formally designated the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization under state law.

With these federal designations now in place, analysts say the Trump administration has signaled a more confrontational posture toward Islamist political movements, a strategy that may reshape US counterterrorism policy while testing its diplomatic balancing act across the Middle East.