The United States has formally designated three Middle Eastern chapters of the Muslim Brotherhood as terrorist organisations, taking what officials described as the first major step under President Donald Trump’s renewed push to curb groups seen as threats to US security.
In an announcement on Tuesday, the US State Department and Treasury Department said the Lebanese, Jordanian and Egyptian branches of the Muslim Brotherhood have been targeted under new sanctions. The move follows Executive Order 14362, signed by President Trump, which called for action against Muslim Brotherhood chapters accused of violence and destabilisation.
The State Department designated the Lebanese Muslim Brotherhood as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, the most serious classification under US law. It also listed the group’s leader, Muhammad Fawzi Taqqosh, as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist. At the same time, the Treasury Department designated the Egyptian and Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood chapters as Specially Designated Global Terrorists for allegedly providing material support to Hamas.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the designations marked the beginning of a broader campaign. “These designations reflect the opening actions of an ongoing, sustained effort to thwart Muslim Brotherhood chapters’ violence and destabilization wherever it occurs,” Rubio said. “The United States will use all available tools to deprive these Muslim Brotherhood chapters of the resources to engage in or support terrorism.”
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the action was aimed at cutting off funding and networks linked to violence. Treasury Undersecretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence John Hurley claimed that the organisation has played a key role in supporting armed groups. “The Muslim Brotherhood has inspired, nurtured, and funded terrorist groups like Hamas, that are direct threats to the safety and security of the American people and our allies,” he said.
The Trump administration said the Lebanese chapter was singled out after a wing of the group allegedly launched rockets at Israel following Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack, which triggered the war in Gaza. According to the executive order, leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood in Jordan were also accused of backing Hamas, while the Egyptian chapter has long been accused by US allies of militant links.
Muslim Brotherhood leaders, however, have consistently denied involvement in violence and have said the organisation renounces armed struggle.
The Muslim Brotherhood was founded in Egypt in 1928 and was officially banned there in 2013 following the military takeover. Jordan announced a sweeping ban on the group in April this year. The new US designations are expected to strengthen the position of countries such as Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, which have long pushed Washington to take tougher action against the Brotherhood.
Nathan Brown, a professor of political science at George Washington University, said some US allies would welcome the decision. “Governments like the UAE and Egypt will likely be pleased,” he said, but added that the move could strain relations with countries where the Brotherhood is tolerated. “In places like Qatar and Turkey, this could become a thorn in bilateral relations,” Brown said.
He also warned that the decision could have serious consequences for immigration cases. “This would give immigration officials a stronger basis for suspicion and make it harder for people linked to the Brotherhood to seek visas or asylum, not just in the US but also in Europe and Canada,” he said.
President Trump had considered designating the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organisation during his first term in 2019, but stopped short of doing so. The issue returned to the spotlight amid pressure from conservative supporters and right-wing figures. Earlier this year, Republican led state governments in Florida and Texas also designated the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organisation.
