US labels Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, Lebanon and Jordan as ‘terrorist organisation’

The Trump administration has formally designated three Middle Eastern branches of the Muslim Brotherhood in Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt as terrorist organisations, imposing sweeping sanctions aimed at cutting off their financial networks and ties to militant groups, in a major shift in U.S. policy toward the long‑standing Islamist movement.

The U.S. Department of State on Tuesday labelled the Lebanese Muslim Brotherhood a foreign terrorist organisation , while the Treasury Department designated the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood and the Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood as specially designated global terrorists for allegedly providing material support to Hamas and engaging in destabilising activities directed against th US. The Lebanese organisation’s leader, Muhammad Fawzi Taqqosh, was also individually designated.

“These designations reflect the opening actions of an ongoing, sustained effort to thwart Muslim Brotherhood chapters’ violence and destabilization wherever it occurs,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said. “The United States will use all available tools to deprive these Muslim Brotherhood chapters of the resources to engage in or support terrorism.”

John Hurley, Treasury Undersecretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence , said: “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. We will cut off their access to U.S. financial networks and hold their leaders accountable.”

Under the sanctions, all property and financial interests in the United States belonging to these groups or their designated members are blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from conducting transactions with them unless authorised. The foreign terrorist organisation label also makes it a federal crime to provide material support to the Lebanese chapter.

The Brotherhood’s branches issued statements rejecting the designations. The Lebanese Muslim Brotherhood said: “These sanctions are unjust and have no legal effect inside Lebanon. Our work in social and charitable initiatives will continue undeterred.” The Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood added: “We categorically reject this decision. It targets millions of Muslims who have nothing to do with violence. We will challenge it by every legal means available.”

Founded in Egypt in 1928 by Hassan al‑Banna, the Muslim Brotherhood is a transnational Sunni Islamist movement. While it publicly emphasises social and charitable work, U.S. officials say it also provides ideological and material support to militant groups including Hamas and is widely understood to be the moral head of extremist organisations in the Middle East, including Hamas and, in some analyses, Al Qaeda.

The Brotherhood has been banned or restricted in countries including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, and Jordan, while being tolerated in others such as Qatar and Turkey. Egypt welcomed the U.S. decision, calling it “a significant step in countering extremist ideology,” and the UAE praised it as “a decisive move to safeguard regional security.”

Nathan Brown, professor of political science at George Washington University, said: “This designation strengthens ties with countries opposed to the Brotherhood, but it will complicate relations with governments where the Brotherhood is tolerated. It may also influence visa and asylum processes in the U.S. and Western countries.”

This federal action follows earlier efforts by Republican‑led states such as Florida and Texas to label the Brotherhood as a terrorist organisation, reflecting broader political pressure within the U.S. to take a hard line against Islamist groups.