By Maria Maalouf
In one of the most consequential national-security decisions of his presidency, Donald J. Trump announced on November 23, 2025, that the Muslim Brotherhood will be officially designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO)—a seismic shift that rewrites America’s posture toward political Islam. Speaking in an exclusive interview with Just the News, Trump confirmed that final documents are already prepared for his signature, declaring that the move will be executed “in the strongest and most powerful terms.”
This long-anticipated step—blocked for years by bureaucratic pushback and diplomatic sensitivities—finally brings U.S. policy into alignment with an accelerating bipartisan consensus and sweeping legislative momentum on Capitol Hill.
A Moment Years in the Making.
The announcement follows an extraordinary political build-up:
• Texas Governor Greg Abbott became the first governor in U.S. history to designate the Muslim Brotherhood (and CAIR) as terrorist and criminal entities, enabling civil lawsuits and aggressive state-level enforcement.
• The Muslim Brotherhood Terrorist Designation Act of 2025 was reintroduced in July by Reps. Mario Díaz-Balart (R-FL) and Jared Moskowitz (D-FL)—a rare Republican-Democratic alliance.
• In the Senate, Ted Cruz’s companion bill earned the support of 11 co-sponsors, including Democrat John Fetterman, signaling a rare moment of bipartisan clarity on national security.
• Secretary of State Marco Rubio had already hinted in August that a designation was being prepared, framing it within the administration’s wider campaign to dismantle global networks tied to Hamas and Iran’s proxy strategy.
With Trump’s green light, the United States now joins Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Jordan, Russia, and Syria—countries that have already classified the Brotherhood as a terrorist group after decades of confrontation.
The Brotherhood: From Egypt’s Mosques to the Front Lines of Global Jihad.
Founded in Egypt in 1928, the Muslim Brotherhood grew into the world’s largest Islamist movement—millions of adherents, chapters across continents, and a vast network of charities, political parties, media institutions, and front groups.
Although the Brotherhood brands itself as a social and political movement, critics—and now the U.S. government—argue that its doctrine incubated modern Sunni jihadism, producing:
• Hamas (explicitly founded as the Brotherhood’s Palestinian branch)
• Ideologues who inspired al-Qaeda
• Militant offshoots active in North Africa and the Middle East
Its founding motto, rarely mentioned in Western press, still echoes:
“Jihad is our way. Death for the sake of Allah is our highest aspiration.”
For decades, this ideology has influenced political parties from Jordan to Tunisia, and charities with operations in Europe and the U.S.
What the FTO Designation Means.
Under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, the designation will trigger:
• Asset freezes on all Brotherhood-linked entities
• Travel bans on members and senior operatives
• Criminal prosecution for providing “material support”
• Seizure of financial networks tied to Brotherhood-affiliated NGOs and charities
• Secondary sanctions on host states like Qatar and Turkey if they refuse to comply
The implications are vast.
Brotherhood-linked political parties across the Middle East—such as Ennahda in Tunisia and the Jordanian Islamic Action Front—may face intense scrutiny or collapse. Organizations like CAIR could face unprecedented legal and financial pressure depending on how the Treasury Department frames their affiliations.
Proponents, especially pro-Israel advocates and evangelical networks, have called the move “the most significant ideological strike against Sunni extremism in a generation.” They argue that the Brotherhood’s intellectual DNA is inseparable from modern jihadist violence.
Pushback and the Global Debate.
Civil rights groups, certain European governments, and some former U.S. officials warn that the designation is overly broad. They argue it may:
• Blur the lines between political Islam and violent extremism
• Empower authoritarian crackdowns
• Drive moderate Islamists underground
• Strain relations with Turkey and Qatar
CAIR—named in Abbott’s Texas order—has already filed lawsuits claiming the label is defamatory, politically motivated, and a violation of Muslims’ constitutional rights.
Supporters counter that these concerns ignore the Brotherhood’s structured ideological blueprint, which supports Hamas, endorses violence under “resistance,” and spreads radicalization through educational and social networks.
A New Era in U.S. Counterterrorism.
Trump’s move symbolizes a full break from the post-9/11 policy of distinguishing between “violent extremists” and “non-violent Islamists.” Instead, his administration is arguing that the ideological infrastructure is the root not just the armed branches.
This approach reflects:
• The lessons of the October 7 Hamas attack
• The rise of Iranian-aligned militias
• The regional shift toward Saudi-led stabilization
• Stronger alignment with Egypt, Israel, and the Gulf states
• Growing skepticism in Washington toward political Islam’s long-term compatibility with democracy
Trump’s aides describe the designation as the “ideological equivalent of defeating ISIS.”
Whether that is true or too bold, the impact will be historic.
The Moment the Debate Ends
For years, the U.S. debated whether the Muslim Brotherhood was:
• A political movement
• A social network
• A gateway to extremism
• Or a terrorist incubator
That debate is now over.
With Trump’s signature expected within days, the United States is on the verge of the most sweeping counterterrorism redefinition in 20 years one that will reshape alliances, challenge entrenched networks, and send reverberations through the Middle East, Europe, and the American Muslim community.
This is not just a policy shift.
It is a geopolitical earthquake.
