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The review focuses on Brotherhood chapters in Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon, examining whether these units meet criteria for a terror designation
US President Donald Trump at the Oval Office. (AFP)
The Donald Trump administration has launched a major reassessment of the Muslim Brotherhood, one of the most influential Islamist movements in the world, by initiating a formal review to determine whether specific branches of the organisation should be designated as terrorist entities under United States law.
Through an executive order signed on Monday, Trump has instructed senior officials to examine whether chapters in Egypt, Lebanon and Jordan meet the criteria for being listed as Foreign Terrorist Organisations (FTOs) and Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs).
The move marks the revival of an effort Trump pursued in his first term, when he sought to scrutinise the Muslim Brotherhood but did not complete a designation process due to internal pushback.
The order comes after bipartisan members of the US Congress introduced the Muslim Brotherhood Terrorist Designation Act of 2025 and after several Republican lawmakers urged the administration to adopt a stronger approach. It also follows repeated calls from governments in West Asia that have already banned the organisation and have been pressing Washington to take similar action.
What Trump’s Order Actually Does
The executive order begins a structured, three-stage review rather than immediately designating any organisation. It directs the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, and the US Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, to produce a unified report within 30 days evaluating the activities of Brotherhood-linked chapters in Egypt, Lebanon and Jordan. If the findings support action, agencies are required to proceed within 45 days using the legal mechanisms governing terrorism designations.
A White House fact sheet outlines the purpose of the directive, stating that, “The Order’s ultimate aim is to eliminate the designated chapters’ capabilities and operations, deprive them of resources, and end any threat such chapters pose to US nationals and the national security of the United States.”
Why These Chapters Are Being Reviewed
The order identifies different grounds for examining the chapters in Egypt, Lebanon and Jordan.
In Lebanon, fighters associated with Brotherhood-aligned groups are described as having taken part in clashes alongside Hezbollah, which escalated into one of the most destructive confrontations in the country in decades. The Lebanon chapter’s activities have therefore been flagged for potential links to militant operations.
In Jordan, the order alleges that the Brotherhood’s local branch has “long provided material support to the militant wing of Hamas.” Jordan banned the organisation in April 2025 after years of accusations from authorities about involvement in extremist or subversive activity, and later shut down charities connected to the group.
In Egypt, the justification is tied to a statement attributed to a senior Brotherhood figure who allegedly “called for violent attacks” on 7 October 2023, the day Hamas launched a large-scale assault on Israel. The order does not name the individual or provide detail about the statement, leaving ambiguity about the evidence.
What A Terror Designation Would Mean
A formal designation under US law would trigger extensive consequences. Any property or assets held by the designated chapter within US jurisdiction would be frozen. American individuals, banks, charities and companies would face criminal penalties for providing material support or engaging in transactions with entities associated with the designated branch.
What Is The Muslim Brotherhood? Origins And Early Evolution
The Muslim Brotherhood was founded in 1928 in Ismailia, Egypt, by Hassan al-Banna, an Islamic scholar and schoolteacher. It grew out of a belief that the Muslim world needed to revive Islamic principles to confront Western colonialism and rising secular and nationalist ideologies. In its early years, the movement built schools, hospitals and mosques, especially for poorer communities, promoting tawhidthe oneness and supremacy of Allah, as an ideological anchor.
The Brotherhood’s motto reflects its ideological orientation: “Allah is our objective; the Prophet is our leader; the Quran is our law; jihad is our way; dying in the way of Allah is our highest hope.”
Even though the organisation framed itself as a social and religious movement, it developed a clandestine armed wing known as the Secret Apparatus (al-Nizam al-Khas). Members of this network underwent military-style training, operated underground and engaged in political assassinations and covert operations. In 1948, a member of this Apparatus assassinated Egyptian Prime Minister Mahmoud El Nokrashy Pasha after he banned the group. In 1949, al-Banna was murdered by Egyptian secret police, widely seen as retaliation.
The Secret Apparatus relied heavily on secrecy and infiltration, including penetrating political parties, the military, security services, media establishments and NGOs.
Radicalisation Under Sayyid Qutb
The Brotherhood’s ideological trajectory shifted significantly under the influence of Sayyid Qutb, who was executed in 1966. Through his writings, particularly Milestoneshe advanced ideas such as blasphemy (declaring Muslims as apostates) and described contemporary Muslim societies as living in ignoranceor pre-Islamic ignorance, due to the failure to implement Sharia.
Qutb’s ideas helped inspire takfiri groups that justified attacks on Muslims they considered insufficiently Islamic. Organisations such as Egyptian Islamic Jihad and al-Qaeda drew on these doctrines to justify violence against both Muslims and non-Muslims.
Arab Spring, Rise To Power, And Crackdown
The Arab Spring transformed the Brotherhood’s fortunes. In 2012, after the uprising against Hosni Mubarak, the movement won elections in Egypt and its candidate, Mohamed Morsi, became president. This period marked the Brotherhood’s highest political ascent.
The rise was short-lived. In 2013, a military coup led by Abdel Fattah al-Sisi removed Morsi, dissolved Brotherhood-run institutions and designated the movement a terrorist organisation. A sweeping crackdown followed, and the movement returned largely to clandestine activity.
Although the Brotherhood has publicly argued that it abandoned violence and adopted democratic methods, accounts from defectors and independent analyses have pointed to the continued existence of clandestine committees resembling earlier structures.
How The World Has Treated The Muslim Brotherhood So Far
Different countries have dealt with the Muslim Brotherhood in sharply different ways.
Egypt banned the movement in 2013 following a military takeover that deposed its leader and then-President Mohamed Morsi. Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Russia have also designated the organisation as a terrorist group. Jordan joined this list in 2025.
In January, the UAE blacklisted eight organisations based in the United Kingdom for alleged links to the Brotherhood’s network. In May, French President Emmanuel Macron instructed his government to prepare measures to counter the influence of the movement and limit what he described as the spread of political Islam.
Some states have taken a different approach. Turkey has historically acted as a refuge for exiled Brotherhood members, especially after the Egyptian crackdown. Qatar has offered rhetorical support to Brotherhood-aligned groups, while restricting formal organisational activities.
How The Brotherhood’s Ideology Has Resonance In India
Although the Muslim Brotherhood does not have a formal organisational base in India, its ideology has shaped several Islamist formations operating in the country. Its ideas influenced Maulana Abul Ala Maududi’s Jamaat-e-Islami in the 1940s.
Groups banned in India for extremist activity, including the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and the Popular Front of India (PFI), have adopted methods similar to those historically associated with the Brotherhood, such as targeting youth for radicalisation, advancing an anti-secular political narrative, and portraying the majority community and the government as oppressors.
Some militant outfits in Kashmir are also reported to draw on ideological strands associated with the movement, which has historically supported separatist messaging and anti-India narratives. Brotherhood-linked networks have been reported to provide financial and propaganda support to elements operating against Indian interests.
The impact has also played out internationally. In 2021, a #BoycottIndianProducts campaign was launched on social media after violence broke out during an eviction drive in Assam. Individuals primarily from Pakistan and parts of the Middle East, including Turkey, Egypt and Iraq, promoted the campaign, which was amplified by media outlets connected to the Brotherhood. In 2023, research by the Digital Forensics, Research and Analytics Centre (DFRAC) reported that the movement also runs smear campaigns against Hindus working in Gulf countries.
Against this backdrop, a possible US designation of specific Brotherhood chapters could add pressure on transnational Islamist networks whose narratives and digital campaigns have targeted India.
Why Designating The Brotherhood Has Been Difficult
The Brotherhood’s complicated structure has made formal designation challenging for many governments. Its decentralised operations mean branches differ sharply in their political roles: some run welfare networks, some engage in politics, and some operate underground. This variation has made a blanket designation difficult to defend legally.
Earlier efforts in the US to impose a broad terrorist label stalled partly due to concerns about allies such as Turkey and about potential negative consequences for Muslim communities. The current chapter-specific approach seeks to bypass these earlier roadblocks. At the same time, past actions by regional governments show that bans can have unintended effects. After Egypt’s 2013 ban, violent extremist groups surged in the Sinai Peninsula, including factions linked to the Islamic State.
Karishma Jain, Chief Sub Editor at News18.com, writes and edits opinion pieces on a variety of subjects, including Indian politics and policy, culture and the arts, technology and social change. Follow her @kar…Read More
Karishma Jain, Chief Sub Editor at News18.com, writes and edits opinion pieces on a variety of subjects, including Indian politics and policy, culture and the arts, technology and social change. Follow her @kar… Read More
November 26, 2025, 2:50 PM IST
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