Trump Administration Designates Three Muslim Brotherhood Branches as Terrorist Organizations
Trump administration labels Egyptian, Lebanese and Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood branches as terrorist organizations, imposing sanctions that could affect U.S. ties with Qatar, Turkey, asylum claims.
Overview
The Trump administration designated the Lebanese Muslim Brotherhood as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and labeled the Jordanian and Egyptian branches as specially designated global terrorists, imposing sanctions and travel restrictions.
The move followed President Trump's November executive order and cites the groups' alleged support for Hamas and involvement in rocket attacks after the Oct. 7, 2023, Israel-Gaza escalation.
Officials warned the designation could strain relations with Qatar and Turkey while pleasing UAE and Egypt, and may complicate U.S. cooperation with regional partners.
Designation criminalizes material support, restricts entry for current and former members, and may influence visa, asylum and immigration adjudications in the U.S. and Western countries.
Muslim Brotherhood chapters deny violence claims; critics say the listing responds to foreign lobbying and domestic politics, while state-level U.S. designations have prompted lawsuits and debate.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources appear neutral in covering the administration's designations, sticking to attributed facts, official statements and expert context rather than evaluative language. They report the sanctions, include administration quotes, note Muslim Brotherhood denials and potential diplomatic/immigration consequences via expert Nathan Brown, and avoid emotive or partisan framing.
Sources (8)
FAQ
The Lebanese branch was designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT). The Jordanian and Egyptian branches were designated as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs) for supporting Hamas.
The designations cite the branches' support for Hamas, involvement in rocket attacks on Israel after October 7, 2023, calls for violence against U.S. partners, and destabilization activities threatening U.S. interests.
They criminalize material support, impose financial sanctions, block assets, prohibit U.S. entry for members, and affect visa, asylum, and immigration decisions.
They could strain ties with Qatar and Turkey, which have links to the Muslim Brotherhood, while aligning with UAE and Egypt's interests.
Muslim Brotherhood chapters deny violence claims. Critics argue the designations result from foreign lobbying, domestic politics, and could affect U.S. Muslim civil society.
History
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