U.S. moves toward designating Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization

U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the United States is preparing to designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization, describing the move as something that will be carried out “in the strongest and most powerful terms.” 

He added that final documents are already being drafted.

The Muslim Brotherhood, founded in Egypt in 1928, is a broad Islamist movement with branches and affiliated groups across multiple countries. 

While some of its offshoots have been involved in violent activity, others operate as political parties or social organizations, making the group’s structure complex and diffuse.

A federal terrorist designation would mark a major shift in U.S. policy. Such a move carries significant legal consequences, including criminal penalties for providing material support and broad restrictions on financial activity. 

It could also reshape diplomatic relationships in the Middle East, where different governments take sharply opposing views of the Brotherhood.

The announcement signals an aggressive posture, but as of now, no formal federal designation has been issued. The coming period will show whether the administration follows through and how the decision might play out domestically and globally.