US President Donald Trump on Monday signed an executive order directing his administration to begin the formal process of designating specific chapters of the Muslim Brotherhood as foreign terrorist organizations.
The order identifies branches in Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon, stating that these chapters “engage in, facilitate, or support violence and destabilization efforts that endanger their regions, American citizens, and US interests.”
Founded in Egypt in 1928, the Muslim Brotherhood is a pan-Islamist movement established by Hassan al-Banna, who believed that restoring Islamic values in society would strengthen the Muslim world against Western colonial influence. Over the years, the group expanded across several Arab countries.
A US terrorist designation would enable Washington to impose sanctions such as freezing the group’s assets within the country and restricting entry for its members. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will now be responsible for completing the legal steps required to enforce the designation.
The Muslim Brotherhood is already banned in countries including Egypt and Saudi Arabia. In April, Jordan also prohibited the organization, accusing it of storing weapons and plotting activities that threatened national stability. Although the group has long enjoyed significant support in Jordan, and continued operating even after a 2020 court ruling dissolving it, authorities have increasingly tightened their stance.
In Egypt, the organization was outlawed in 2013 following the removal of Mohammed Morsi—its former leader and then-president—during a military takeover led by Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.
Reacting to the US order, Israeli officials praised the move, saying it was significant not only for Israel but also for Arab nations that “have suffered from Muslim Brotherhood-linked violence for decades.”
Earlier in May, French President Emmanuel Macron directed his government to prepare new measures aimed at curbing the influence and spread of the Muslim Brotherhood within France.
