President Trump’s bold executive order targets the Muslim Brotherhood’s Middle Eastern affiliates, shaking up U.S. counterterrorism policy and drawing a clear line against organizations accused of fueling violence and undermining American interests.
Story Snapshot
- President Trump orders a review to label Muslim Brotherhood chapters in Egypt, Lebanon, and Jordan as foreign terrorist organizations.
- The move responds to allegations that these groups support violence against U.S. allies and are linked to Hamas.
- Designation would make it illegal to provide support to targeted groups, triggering travel bans and asset freezes.
- Order arrives amid wider Trump administration crackdowns on terrorism and border security threats.
Trump Administration Moves to Designate Muslim Brotherhood Affiliates as Terrorists
On November 24, 2025, President Trump issued a decisive executive order directing his administration to consider designating certain Middle Eastern affiliates of the Muslim Brotherhood as foreign terrorist organizations.
This directive targets explicitly Muslim Brotherhood chapters in Egypt, Lebanon, and Jordan, citing their alleged roles in supporting violence and destabilization campaigns.
The order tasks the Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, and the Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, with delivering a comprehensive report within 30 days, followed by official action within 45 days. This marks a significant escalation in U.S. policy toward Islamist movements accused of threatening American interests and allies.
The executive order’s rationale centers on national security. It accuses the Lebanese chapter’s military wing of participating in rocket attacks against Israel after the events of October 7, 2023. It charges a leader of the Egyptian chapter with encouraging violence against U.S. partners.
Additionally, U.S. officials allege that the Jordanian chapter has long provided material support to Hamas, a group already designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S. government. These claims underscore the administration’s intent to disrupt financial and logistical networks that could enable terrorist acts.
Trump says he will designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a TERRORIST organization ‘in the strongest and most powerful terms’
‘The final documents are being drawn’
Move comes days after Texas labeled the MB and CAIR as foreign terrorist organizations and criminal groups pic.twitter.com/r4NgEoOkNm
— RT (@RT_com) November 23, 2025
Legal and Political Impact of Designation
If these Muslim Brotherhood affiliates are designated as foreign terrorist organizations, U.S. law would immediately prohibit knowingly providing them with funding or material support.
The measure would also trigger travel bans for members and the freezing of any assets held in U.S. banks. Such actions would represent one of the Trump administration’s most forceful uses of executive power in counterterrorism policy, building on a record of aggressively labeling hostile groups as terrorist organizations.
Earlier in the year, the administration applied similar designations to notorious Latin American drug cartels and the Venezuelan Cartel de los Soles, aiming to choke off criminal networks and hostile regimes from U.S. resources.
Founded nearly a century ago in Egypt, the Muslim Brotherhood has long been an influential political force across the Middle East. However, the group remains deeply controversial.
While some leaders claim to have renounced violence, critics—including American allies—assert that numerous affiliated organizations have promoted extremism or engaged in violent activities.
Egypt’s government banned the group in 2013, and Jordan followed suit earlier in 2025.
The Trump administration’s move comes on the heels of Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s decision to ban the Brotherhood from buying land and to designate it a terrorist group, reflecting a growing consensus among conservatives that the group poses a direct threat to U.S. security and constitutional values.
Broader Context: Executive Power and National Security
This executive order fits a broader Trump administration strategy of using executive power to reinforce national security and conservative values.
In 2025 alone, President Trump signed over 170 executive orders, aggressively targeting not just foreign terror networks but also domestic threats such as Antifa-affiliated groups and left-wing criminal organizations.
These actions form part of a larger effort to restore law and order, secure American borders, and protect citizens from threats that previous administrations were seen as neglecting or enabling.
Conservative supporters have lauded these steps as overdue corrections after years of perceived weakness and globalist overreach.
By focusing on organizations like the Muslim Brotherhood, the administration signals its commitment to defending the Constitution, safeguarding American families, and rejecting policies that enable terrorism or undermine national sovereignty.
Critics may argue about the scope and targets of these actions, but for many, this executive order stands as a vigorous defense of American security and traditional values.
Limitations and Ongoing Debate
Some Muslim Brotherhood leaders in Egypt and elsewhere have disavowed violence, and the group’s decentralized nature has led to debate over whether all affiliates should be treated as terrorist organizations.
While the Trump administration frames the executive order as a vital step to protect the nation, critics—including some international observers—warn of potential diplomatic fallout and the risk of driving underground moderate voices in the region.
The administration, however, remains resolute, citing the urgent need to address organizations that facilitate violence and threaten allied interests. As the review process unfolds, the broader consequences for U.S. foreign policy and security will come into sharper focus.
President Trump’s move to confront and potentially designate Muslim Brotherhood affiliates as terrorist organizations exemplifies his administration’s commitment to robust national security measures and the defense of American interests.
While debate will continue, for many conservatives, this policy marks a victory for common sense, constitutional values, and a safer America.
