Trump Initiates Process to Classify Certain Muslim Brotherhood Branches as Terrorist Groups
There has been a crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood since 2013, when then-president Mohamed Morsi, one of the leaders of the movement, was ousted from his position.
U.S. President Donald Trump points a finger as he speaks at a press conference in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., October 15, 2025. Photo/Courtesy
By Ruth Sang
The US President, Donald Trump signed a key executive order to introduce a formal process to designate selected chapters of the Muslim Brotherhood as foreign terrorist organizations. The directive names branches operating in Lebanon, Egypt, and Jordan, accusing them of involvement in violent activities and destabilizing behavior that undermine regional stability as well as US national interests.
According to the executive order, these specific chapters “engage in, assist, or provide support for acts of violence and destabilizing campaigns that pose a threat to their own regions, United States citizens, and the national interests of the United States.” The move marks one of Washington’s most direct attempts to target the political and social influence of the Muslim Brotherhood in the Middle East.
The Muslim Brotherhood was a pan-Islamist movement with the aim of deepening Islamic values in governance and society. Founded in Egypt in 1928 by educator Hassan al-Banna, it has long envisioned Islamic revivalism as a means for Muslim societies to resist Western colonial pressure. Today, the organization has grown into a transnational network with branches and affiliates throughout the Arab world operating at varying levels of political influence and state tolerance.
According to US law, designating any foreign organization as a terrorist organization carries significant ramifications. If the designation process is completed, Washington will have the power to freeze any assets of the involved chapters in the United States and refuse entry to members of such chapters into the country. The order now calls on Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent to complete the procedural and legal processes required for formalization of the designation.
The move is not without precedent. Several countries including Egypt and Saudi Arabia have long classified the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist group. Jordan became the most recent to take action when it banned the organization in April this year, accusing it of producing weapons and plotting to undermine national security. Despite the ban, the Brotherhood has maintained a strong grassroots presence in Jordan, and for years authorities had allowed it to operate despite a 2020 court ruling dissolving the group.
In Egypt, there has been a crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood since 2013, when then-president Mohamed Morsi, one of the leaders of the movement, was ousted from his position. His overthrow in a military coup engineered by then-General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi marked a turning point; the outlawing of the Brotherhood and a general repression of its members ensued. Sisi subsequently consolidated power and has remained a close ally of Washington.
The US decision drew praise from Israel, which long has criticized the group. “This is an important decision not only for the State of Israel but also for neighboring Arab countries that have suffered from Muslim Brotherhood terrorism for decades,” Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon wrote on X. The announcement also comes amid growing concerns in Europe. Earlier in May, French President Emmanuel Macron instructed his government to prepare measures aimed at curbing the Muslim Brotherhood’s activities and influence in France, reflecting broader international scrutiny of the movement.
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