Trump administration cracks down on Muslim Brotherhood, labels key chapters terrorist

In a statement, the US State Department said the action marked an initial step under President Donald Trump’s commitment to dismantle Muslim Brotherhood networks that pose a threat to US national security, as outlined in Executive Order 14362.

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“Today, as a first step in support of President Trump’s commitment to eliminate the capabilities and operations of Muslim Brotherhood chapters that pose a threat to the United States, the United States is imposing terrorist designations against the Lebanese, Jordanian, and Egyptian chapters of the Muslim Brotherhood,” the department said.

The State Department designated the Lebanese Muslim Brotherhood as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT), along with its leader, Muhammad Fawzi Taqqosh, who was also named an SDGT.

Separately, the US Treasury Department designated the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood and the Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood as SDGTs for providing material support to Hamas, according to the statement.

US officials said the designations represent the opening phase of a sustained campaign to disrupt what they described as the Muslim Brotherhood’s involvement in violence and regional destabilisation.

“The United States will use all available tools to deprive these Muslim Brotherhood chapters of the resources to engage in or support terrorism,” the State Department said.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the move reflects the administration’s determination to cut off terror-linked groups from global financial networks.

“The Muslim Brotherhood has a longstanding record of perpetrating acts of terror, and we are working aggressively to cut them off from the financial system,” Bessent said. “This Administration will deploy the full scope of its authorities to disrupt, dismantle and defeat terrorist networks wherever they operate in order to keep Americans safe.”

Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence John K. Hurley accused the group of operating under a false veneer of moderation.

“The Muslim Brotherhood has inspired, nurtured and funded terrorist groups like Hamas, which are direct threats to the safety and security of the American people and our allies,” Hurley said. “Despite their peaceful public façade, both the Egyptian and Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood branches have conspired to support Hamas’s terrorism and undermine the sovereignty of their own national governments.”

He added that the administration would continue to use all available tools to hold those responsible accountable for what he described as violence encouraged across the Middle East and beyond.