The United States (U.S) government on Tuesday designated the Muslim Brotherhood in Lebanon, Jordan, and Egypt as terrorists.
The U.S government, under the administration of President Donald Trump, announced that the Department of State and the Department of the Treasury have imposed strict terrorist designations on these specific branches, citing their alleged support for violence, destabilization efforts, and material backing of Hamas.
The move fulfills directives from a November 2025 executive order signed by President Donald Trump, which initiated the U.S government process to designate certain Muslim Brotherhood subdivisions as threats to U.S. interests and regional stability.
U.S Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced this in a press statement posted on the official website of the Department of State, emphasizing that these actions mark the beginning of a broader campaign against terrorism.
For Lebanon, the U.S designated the Muslim Brotherhood in the country as terrorists. The Lebanese branch, also known as al-Jamaa al-Islamiyah, has now been designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO). Its Secretary General, Muhammad Fawzi Taqqosh, was also labeled a Specially Designated Global Terrorist.
For Egypt and Jordan, the Treasury Department designated the Egyptian and Jordanian chapters as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGT). These branches were specifically cited for providing material support and funding to Hamas.
Pan-Atlantic Kompass reports that these Muslim Brotherhood terrorist designations carry heavy legal weight, including the freezing of all U.S.-based assets and a strict ban on any “material support” from U.S. citizens or entities.
The statement reads: “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 as described in Executive Order 14362, the United States is imposing terrorist designations against the Lebanese, Jordanian, and Egyptian chapters of the Muslim Brotherhood.
“The Department of State is designating the Lebanese Muslim Brotherhood as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT), and the group’s leader, Muhammad Fawzi Taqqosh, as an SDGT. Concurrently, the Department of the Treasury is designating the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood and Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood as SDGTs for providing material support to Hamas.
“These designations reflect the opening actions of an ongoing, sustained effort to thwart Muslim Brotherhood chapters’ violence and destabilization wherever it occurs. The United States will use all available tools to deprive these Muslim Brotherhood chapters of the resources to engage in or support terrorism.”
Pan-Atlantic Kompass also reports that the U.S designated the Muslim Brotherhood in Lebanon, Jordan, and Egypt as terrorists after the United Arab Emirates (UAE) raised concerns about the religious group.
The United Arab Emirates also removed the United Kingdom from its list of approved destinations for government-sponsored higher education amid Muslim Brotherhood concerns.
This move effectively halts UAE funding for Emirati students studying in the UK starting in the 2026 academic year.
According to reports, the government of the UAE raised concerns regarding the influence of the Muslim Brotherhood on British university campuses.
It was gathered that the UAE officials expressed fears that students could be exposed to extremist ideologies through campus-based Islamist groups.
Also, beyond the loss of grants, the UAE has indicated it may no longer recognize degrees from non-accredited institutions, potentially devaluing UK qualifications for Emirati citizens returning home.
