Trump to Designate Muslim Brotherhood as Foreign Terrorist Group

U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday launching a formal process that could lead to the designation of several Muslim Brotherhood branches as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) under U.S. law.

According to the text released by the White House, Brotherhood affiliates in Lebanon, Jordan, and Egypt—the country where the movement originated—are accused of engaging in, encouraging, or supporting “campaigns of violence and destabilization that harm their own communities, American citizens, or U.S. interests.”

The process will now be carried out by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Besent, who will oversee the evaluation and implementation steps required for FTO designation.

Designation as a Foreign Terrorist Organization triggers a series of punitive measures, including the freezing of assets within U.S. jurisdiction, a ban on all financial transactions with the entity, and the prohibition of entry into the United States for its members.

The Muslim Brotherhood, a movement with branches across multiple countries, was for decades the most significant opposition force in Egypt despite extensive repression. Labeled a terrorist organization in Egypt today, it was removed from the political landscape in 2013 following the brief presidency of Mohamed Morsi—the only Brotherhood member to have ever won national elections and hold executive power.

The movement promotes a form of moderate political Islam but has been outlawed in several countries, including Saudi Arabia and, more recently in April, Jordan. Jordanian authorities have accused the organization of “destabilizing activities,” including the construction and storage of rockets and explosives.

In France, President Emmanuel Macron has dedicated two national defense and security council sessions this year to examining the Brotherhood’s influence and organizational penetration.