Presidential Decree by the Trump Administration Designating Certain Structures of the Muslim Brotherhood as a ‘Foreign Terrorist Organization’

Presidential Determination Designating Certain Entities of the Muslim Brotherhood as a “Foreign Terrorist Organization,” is a presidential order signed by U.S. President Donald Trump on November 25, 2025, which aims to include specific entities of the Muslim Brotherhood operating in various countries on the United States’ list of “Foreign Terrorist Organizations.”

Background

The Muslim Brotherhood is a political and social movement founded in Egypt in 1928 by Hasan al-Banna. Over time, the movement has evolved into a regional network institutionalized through various political parties and social organizations across the Middle East. In some countries, entities affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood operate as political actors participating in elections and as civil society organizations; in others, the movement has been banned.

Signing and Scope of the Determination

According to a written statement from the White House, U.S. President Donald Trump signed a new presidential determination on November 24–25, 2025, targeting certain entities of the Muslim Brotherhood in specific countries.

The determination seeks to add particularly the Muslim Brotherhood’s units operating in Egypt, Lebanon, and Jordan to the U.S. lists of “Foreign Terrorist Organizations” (FTOs) and “Specially Designated Global Terrorists” (SDGTs).

Legal Basis and Institutional Responsibility

The presidential determination tasks the U.S. Secretary of State and the Secretary of the Treasury with reviewing specific subunits of the Muslim Brotherhood under the framework of U.S. counterterrorism legislation. The process will be grounded in legal assessments conducted under the Immigration and Nationality Act and the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.

Pursuant to the determination: The State Department and the Treasury Department are required to jointly submit a report within 30 days identifying which Muslim Brotherhood entities should be included in the designation scope. Following this report, “all appropriate steps” must be taken within 45 days to formally designate the targeted entities as FTOs and global terrorist organizations.

Targeted Entities and Alleged Claims

The determination and related statements specifically reference the Muslim Brotherhood’s entities in Egypt, Lebanon, and Jordan. The U.S. administration asserts that certain elements of these structures have been directly or indirectly linked to armed violent acts.

According to the determination: The Muslim Brotherhood’s “military wing” in Lebanon is alleged to have participated alongside Hamas, Hezbollah, and some Palestinian groups in rocket attacks against Israel after October 7, 2023. It is also claimed that a senior Muslim Brotherhood member in Egypt called for attacks against U.S. interests and partners in the region during the same period.

Leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood in Jordan are alleged to have provided “material support” to Hamas’s armed wing. These allegations form the basis of the U.S. administration’s assessment that certain regional branches of the Muslim Brotherhood have become actors linked to armed groups rather than purely political or social movements.

National Security and Regional Stability Rationale

According to U.S. officials and statements in the determination, these activities threaten the security of American civilians and U.S. regional partners in the Levant. The determination argues that the targeted branches of the Muslim Brotherhood are associated with attacks against Israel and actions linked to Hamas, and that such activities harm U.S. national interests.

Designation Process and Potential Legal Consequences

Once the determination is implemented and the related process is completed, the targeted Muslim Brotherhood entities are expected to be formally designated as “Foreign Terrorist Organizations” and “Global Terrorist Organizations.” The legal consequences of such designations are summarized as follows:

• Providing material support to these organizations may constitute a criminal offense under U.S. law.
• Assets of individuals and institutions linked to the designated organizations may be frozen and their economic activities severely restricted within the United States.
• Visa and travel restrictions may be imposed on individuals who are members of or affiliated with these groups.
• The determination emphasizes that all these measures must be carried out in accordance with existing U.S. laws and budgetary constraints.

U.S. Domestic Politics and Areas of Controversy

The designation of the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization by the United States has been framed as a long-standing demand by certain right-wing circles in the country. These groups have long advocated a position that identifies the Muslim Brotherhood as ideologically and organizationally connected to groups like Hamas.

Some assessments of the determination have criticized it for potentially strengthening authoritarian tendencies in the Middle East and intensifying repression against opposition political movements. Concerns have also been raised that the determination may exert indirect pressure on Muslim civil society organizations and activists within the United States. It has been argued that accusations against some U.S.-based Muslim organizations—particularly those alleged to have ties to the Muslim Brotherhood—could increase significantly as a result of such designations.