The United States has announced terrorist designations against three chapters of the Muslim Brotherhood in Lebanon, Egypt, and Jordan. This action was taken citing national security concerns and alleged links to militant activities. The move is described as an initial step under an executive order issued by President Donald Trump.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that these designations are part of the commitment to eliminate the capabilities and operations of Muslim Brotherhood chapters posing a threat to the United States. The Lebanese Muslim Brotherhood has been designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT), along with its leader, Muhammad Fawzi Taqqosh.
The Department of the Treasury has designated the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood and the Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood as SDGTs for providing material support to Hamas. Rubio emphasized that these measures mark the beginning of a broader campaign by the administration to counter the violence and destabilization caused by Muslim Brotherhood chapters.
The US government plans to continue applying pressure on the designated groups through sanctions and other tools. The designations come with legal and financial consequences, including restrictions on transactions with U.S. persons, potential asset freezes, and limits on international travel for those named. These actions aim to disrupt funding networks and operational capabilities associated with the designated groups.
President Trump’s Executive Order 14362 directs US agencies to take action against organizations deemed threatening to American security interests. Rubio highlighted that the recent designations are part of the implementation of this directive.
