Trump Plans to Designate Muslim Brotherhood as Terrorist Organization

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump announced over the weekend that his administration is preparing to officially designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization. This comes after increasing warnings about the group’s growing influence in the United States from various advocacy groups.

Trump stated, “It will be done in the strongest and most powerful terms. Final documents are being drawn.” The announcement follows the state of Texas declaring the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization just days earlier.

The Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy (ISGAP), a research center, highlighted in a report the group’s ongoing efforts to infiltrate U.S. government agencies, including the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security. The organization, founded in Egypt, has been accused of gaining advisory roles within these agencies.

Charles Asher Small, executive director of ISGAP, welcomed Trump’s statements, saying, “A formal U.S. designation would represent an important first step to confront the Muslim Brotherhood in the United States.” He emphasized the need for evidence-based policy to scrutinize the group’s affiliated structures and funding.

The report from ISGAP suggested that the Muslim Brotherhood shares ambitions with groups like al-Qaeda, seeking to establish an Islamic government through gradualism. They argue that the organization exploits democratic freedoms to advance its ideological goals.

In light of these findings, ISGAP is urging Congress to act on the report’s recommendations. The report alleges that the Muslim Brotherhood has received funding from sources like Qatar, further complicating its presence in the U.S.

Trump’s administration is reportedly collaborating with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to initiate this designation process. It plans to assess chapters of the Muslim Brotherhood in various regions, including Lebanon, Egypt, and Jordan.

As part of the broader initiative, the president’s directive also encompasses a 45-day timeline for federal officials to determine appropriate actions regarding the Muslim Brotherhood’s presence.

Dr. Qanta Ahmed, a policy fellow who has extensively studied the organization, voiced her support for the designation, stating that the Muslim Brotherhood has been using U.S. institutions to build influence over the past decades.

Recently, the group has faced criticism from multiple fronts, including both the Muslim Brotherhood’s U.S. chapter and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). The latter group rejected the claims made by Texas officials, asserting their commitment to justice and community advocacy.