US President Donald Trump signed an executive order requiring the Secretaries of State and Treasury to designate certain branches of the Muslim Brotherhood as international terrorist organizations (FTO) and designated global terrorist organizations (SDGT).
Requests the Secretaries, in consultation with the Attorney General and the Director of National Intelligence, to report on whether to designate certain branches of the Muslim Brotherhood, such as those in Lebanon, Egypt, and Jordan, and requests the Secretary of State and the Secretary of the Treasury to take necessary action within 45 days.
The ultimate goal of the US President’s order is to “eliminate the capabilities and operations of designated branches, deprive them of resources, and terminate any threat they pose to American citizens and the national security of the United States,” the White House said.
According to the White House, “the Muslim Brotherhood’s transnational network fuels terrorism and destabilization campaigns against the interests of the United States and its allies in the Middle East.”
Thus, the Trump administration states that “following the October 7, 2023 attack, the military wing of the Lebanese branch of the Muslim Brotherhood helped terrorist groups launch missile attacks inside Israel; a senior Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood leader encouraged violent attacks against U.S. partners and interests in the Middle East on the same day as Hamas’s October 7 attacks. Jordanian leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood have long provided material support to the military wing of Hamas.”
In January, Trump began the process of designating the Ansar Allah group, the Houthis, as an international terrorist organization; In February, the State Department designated eight gangs as terrorist organizations (FTO) and global terrorist organizations (SDGT), including Tren de Aragua and MS-13. “This administration has deported hundreds of terrorist gang members and will never allow foreign terrorist enemies to operate on American soil and endanger our people,” the White House said, noting that “in June, President Trump signed a proclamation restricting the entry of nonimmigrants from countries with a history of terrorism or other illegal acts.”
At the same time, Trump ordered extrajudicial killings without evidence against alleged “narco-terrorists” in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific.
It is the policy of the United States to cooperate with its regional partners to eliminate the capabilities and operations of sections of the Muslim Brotherhood designated as foreign terrorist organizations under Title 3 of this Order, to deprive such sections of resources, and thus to end any threat these sections pose to American citizens or the national security of the United States.
“Within 30 days from the date of this order, the Secretary of State and the Secretary of the Treasury, after consultation with the Attorney General and the Director of National Intelligence, will submit a joint report to the President, through the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, on the designation of any other division or subdivision of the Muslim Brotherhood, including those in Lebanon, Jordan, and Egypt, as foreign terrorist organizations and as Specially Designated Global Terrorists,” the order Trump signed on Monday said.
“Within 45 days after submission of the requested report, the Secretary of State or Secretary of the Treasury, as appropriate, will take all appropriate action,” the order continues.