Trump Labels Muslim Brotherhood Branches as Terrorist Groups

The Trump administration has officially designated three Middle Eastern branches of the Muslim Brotherhood as terrorist organizations, imposing sanctions on them and their members in a move that could affect U.S. relations with regional allies.

The Treasury and State Departments announced the designations Tuesday, targeting the Lebanese, Jordanian, and Egyptian chapters of the Muslim Brotherhood, which officials said pose a threat to the United States and American interests.

The Lebanese branch was designated a foreign terrorist organization by the State Department, the most severe classification, making it a criminal offense to provide material support to the group. The Jordanian and Egyptian branches were designated by the Treasury as specially designated global terrorists due to their support for Hamas.

“These designations reflect the opening actions of an ongoing, sustained effort to thwart Muslim Brotherhood chapters’ violence and destabilization wherever it occurs,” Secretary of State Marco 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.”

The executive order under which the designations were made cited the involvement of the Lebanese branch in launching rockets into Israel following Hamas’ attack on October 7, 2023, as well as support provided by the Jordanian chapter to Hamas.

John Hurley, Treasury undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, said the Muslim Brotherhood has inspired, nurtured, and funded terrorist groups such as Hamas, which threaten the safety of Americans and allies.

Leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood branches in Egypt and Lebanon denied involvement in terrorism and condemned the U.S. decision. The Egyptian chapter called the designation “categorically rejected” and said it would pursue legal action, while the Lebanese branch emphasized it operates openly as a legal political and social entity within Lebanon.

Founded in Egypt in 1928, the Muslim Brotherhood has faced bans in several countries, including Egypt in 2013 and Jordan in April 2025. Nathan Brown, a professor at George Washington University, said the designations may please some U.S. allies, such as the UAE and Egypt, while complicating relations with countries where the Brotherhood is tolerated, including Qatar and Turkey.

Brown also warned the designations could influence visa and asylum considerations in the U.S., Europe, and Canada, potentially giving immigration officials stronger grounds to scrutinize Brotherhood members seeking entry or asylum.

Trump had considered designating the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization during his first term in 2019, following pressure from supporters and right-wing figures advocating for tougher action against the group.