Trump Designates 'Certain' Muslim Brotherhood Chapters as Terrorist Groups

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – In a decisive maneuver that fundamentally recalibrates the United States' stance on political Islam and regional security, President Donald J. Trump has officially signed an Executive Order initiating the process to designate specific chapters of the Muslim Brotherhood as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs). The directive, issued on Monday, targets the organization's branches in Lebanon, Egypt, and Jordan, signaling a harsh crackdown on what the White House describes as a "transnational network" fueling instability across the Middle East.

This executive action moves the long-simmering debate over the Brotherhood’s status from political rhetoric to concrete federal enforcement, aiming to dismantle the financial and operational infrastructure of one of the world’s oldest Islamist movements.

According to a detailed Fact Sheet published by the White House, the President’s order directs the Secretary of State and the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Attorney General and the Director of National Intelligence, to conduct an immediate and rigorous review.

This interagency effort is mandated to submit a report determining whether these specific chapters meet the statutory criteria for designation as FTOs under 8 U.S.C. 1189 and as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs) under Executive Order 13224.

The timeline for this action is aggressive; the order mandates that the Secretaries take action within 45 days after the submission of the report to finalize the designations if deemed appropriate. The administration stated that the ultimate aim is to "eliminate the designated chapters’ capabilities and operations, deprive them of resources, and end any threat such chapters pose to U.S. nationals and the national security of the United States."

The justification for this sweeping measure is rooted in specific intelligence regarding the Brotherhood's recent activities, particularly in the wake of the devastating Oct. 7, 2023, attacks. The White House Fact Sheet explicitly links the Brotherhood’s regional affiliates to violence against American allies. 

It asserts that in the aftermath of the Oct. 7 attack, the military wing of the Lebanese chapter of the Muslim Brotherhood actively assisted terror groups in launching multiple rocket attacks against both civilian and military targets within Israel. 

Furthermore, the administration revealed that on the very day Hamas perpetrated the initial assault, a senior Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood leader encouraged violent attacks against U.S. partners and equities in the Middle East. 

Additionally, the White House indicated that reports show Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood leaders have "long provided material support to the militant wing of Hamas," positioning the group not merely as a political entity but as a logistical backbone for militant operations.

This federal escalation follows a pledge President Trump made just one day prior in an interview with "Just the News," where he signaled his intent to execute this designation "in the strongest and most powerful terms."

As reported previously by Kurdistan24, this move aligns with a growing chorus of pressure from Republican lawmakers and state governors who have long argued that the Brotherhood serves as a "gateway" to violent jihadism.

The designation process reflects a nuanced approach acknowledged by officials like Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who noted earlier this year that while a blanket designation is legally complex due to the group's loose structure, targeting specific, operationally active chapters allows the U.S. to bypass those bureaucratic hurdles.

The White House framed Monday’s order as a continuation of President Trump’s "robust counterterrorism measures" designed to safeguard American security.

The administration drew parallels to other recent decisive actions, such as the January initiation of the process to designate Ansar Allah (the Houthis) as an FTO to protect regional partners, and the February designation of eight criminal cartels, including MS-13 and Tren de Aragua, to combat narcoterrorism.

By grouping the Muslim Brotherhood with these entities, the Trump administration is categorizing the Islamist group as a primary threat to the homeland, emphasizing that it "will never allow foreign terrorist enemies to operate on American soil."

The historical weight of this designation cannot be overstated. Founded in Egypt in 1928 by Imam Hassan al-Banna, the Muslim Brotherhood established the intellectual framework for modern political Islam with the motto: "Allah is our objective. The Prophet is our leader. The Qur'an is our law. Jihad is our way. Dying in the way of Allah is our highest hope."

Over the decades, its ideology—propagated by figures such as Sayyid Qutb—has influenced the founders of Al-Qaeda and spawned militant offshoots including Hamas and Egyptian Islamic Jihad.

While the group has publicly claimed in recent years to be committed to "moderate and peaceful thinking," the Trump administration’s Fact Sheet cites studies and intelligence reports contradicting this, aligning with assessments from the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) which describe the movement as fueling both violent and nonviolent extremism.

The federal move also provides significant validation to state-level crackdowns that have occurred in recent weeks.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott recently issued an executive order designating the Muslim Brotherhood and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) as terrorist organizations within his state, accusing them of seeking to impose Sharia law and restricting their ability to own property.

While CAIR is currently litigating against the Texas designation, arguing it violates constitutional rights, the new federal scrutiny on the Brotherhood’s international chapters reinforces the narrative that the group is a destabilizing force.

By focusing on the chapters in Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon, the White House is targeting the organization's historical core and its most volatile frontiers. The inclusion of the Jordanian branch is particularly significant given the kingdom's delicate political balance and the Brotherhood’s deep roots there.

As the 45-day review clock begins ticking, the diplomatic and legal ramifications will likely be felt across the Middle East.

The White House concluded its announcement by asserting that with this order, President Trump is "once again taking steps to preserve international peace and stability," setting the stage for a rigorous campaign to sever the financial and political lifelines of the Brotherhood’s most active networks.