The United States has officially designated the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, Lebanon, and Jordan as terrorist organizations. The decision, announced on Tuesday, aligns with long-standing requests from some US allies in the Arab region and conservative political factions within the United States.
In a statement, Secretary of State Marco Rubio explained the move, stating, “These designations reflect the opening actions of an ongoing, sustained effort to thwart Muslim Brotherhood chapters’ violence and destabilization wherever it occurs.” He added, “The United States will use all available tools to deprive these Muslim Brotherhood chapters of the resources to engage in or support terrorism.”
The process was initiated by President Donald Trump in November. According to the Trump administration, the designations for the Egyptian and Jordanian branches are based on their support for Hamas, a Palestinian armed group that the United States has long classified as a terrorist organization.
The Muslim Brotherhood came to power in Egypt through democratic elections that resulted in Mohamed Morsi becoming president. Morsi was later overthrown in a 2013 military coup led by the army chief at the time, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. Since then, al-Sisi’s government has conducted a widespread crackdown on the group.
Governments in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates have actively sought to suppress the Muslim Brotherhood for years.
