WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Monday signed an executive order directing federal agencies to initiate the formal process for designating certain chapters of the Muslim Brotherhood as terrorist organisations. The order, issued at the White House on November 24, specifically references Brotherhood chapters in Lebanon, Jordan, and Egypt.
The directive instructs relevant agencies to evaluate and take action under US counterterrorism laws, including designation as foreign terrorist organisations (FTOs) and specially designated global terrorists (SDGTs). According to the White House, the Brotherhood has evolved since its founding in Egypt in 1928 into a “transnational network” with chapters that allegedly “engage in or facilitate and support violence and destabilisation campaigns” threatening regional stability, US citizens, and American interests.
The order cites specific activities by Brotherhood chapters in the region. It highlights that the Lebanese chapter’s military wing “joined Hamas, Hezbollah, and Palestinian factions to launch multiple rocket attacks against civilian and military targets in Israel” during the October 7, 2023 attack. It also accuses leaders of the Egyptian chapter of calling for violent attacks against US partners and interests, and alleges that the Jordanian chapter has long provided material support to Hamas’s militant wing.
“It is the policy of the United States to cooperate with regional partners to eliminate the capabilities and operations of any chapters designated under this process,” the order states. It directs agencies to take measures to deprive these chapters of resources and eliminate any threat they pose to US nationals and national security.
The executive order sets a clear timeline for implementation. Within 30 days, the secretaries of State and Treasury must submit a joint report evaluating which chapters should be designated. Within 45 days after that, the relevant department must take “all appropriate action” to complete the formal designations under the Immigration and Nationality Act and the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.
The Muslim Brotherhood, founded in Egypt in 1928, has long been a subject of debate within US policy circles. While some chapters have functioned as political parties participating in elections, others have been accused by regional governments of supporting militant groups. Past US administrations avoided outright designation due to concerns about political ramifications and the organisation’s diverse branches.
Trump’s executive order represents the most detailed US administrative mechanism yet for assessing individual national chapters separately rather than treating the Brotherhood as a monolithic entity. Last week, Texas Governor Greg Abbott, also a Republican, designated the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organisation at the state level, signalling growing political support for tougher action against the group.
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