Trump Seeks Terrorist Label for Muslim Brotherhood

In a sweeping policy move with global implications, President Donald Trump announced Sunday that his administration is preparing to officially designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a Foreign Terrorist Organization a decision that could dramatically reshape U.S. counterterrorism strategy and international alliances.

Speaking in an interview with Just the News, Trump vowed the designation would be carried out “in the strongest and most powerful terms,” confirming that final documentation is already being finalized.

Founded in Egypt in 1928 by Hassan al-Banna, the Muslim Brotherhood has long served as the ideological breeding ground for modern political Islam. Its doctrine fuses religion with political activism and militancy, encapsulated in a motto that includes the phrase: “Jihad is our way. Dying in the way of Allah is our highest hope.”

The Brotherhood’s radical legacy includes political assassinations in Egypt, support for terror activity across the Middle East, and direct links to Hamas, which openly identifies as its Palestinian branch. These ties have fueled widespread concern among governments including Israel, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Bahrain many of which have already designated the group as a terrorist organization.

The move comes as the organization’s top leadership has openly praised recent attacks against Israel. On the second anniversary of Hamas’s October 7 massacre, the Brotherhood’s acting general guide celebrated the slaughter as a "jihadist awakening" and called for increased political and military support for Gaza.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Trump’s initiative, calling it “an important step toward confronting a movement that has destabilized the Middle East for decades.” He noted that Israel has already outlawed portions of the organization and is working to fully complete the process.

The policy announcement also builds on a recent move by Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who designated both the Muslim Brotherhood and its U.S.-based affiliate CAIR as terrorist and transnational criminal organizations. Abbott accused the groups of promoting violence and using intimidation to subvert American law.

Critics of the Muslim Brotherhood have long argued that while it operates under the guise of civil society and charitable activity, its deeper mission is ideological radicalization and the slow erosion of democratic values through religious authoritarianism. That concern has only grown in light of the group’s ideological influence on Hamas and other violent offshoots.

By aligning the United States with Israel and key Arab allies in this designation, the Trump administration is pushing for a unified stance against Islamist extremism, one that transcends regional rivalries and speaks to shared security interests.

Supporters of the move say it will close loopholes used by extremist groups to fundraise, recruit, and operate in Western societies under the cover of legitimacy. For Israel and its allies, it marks a decisive step toward delegitimizing one of the most influential radical networks in the modern Middle East.

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