The United States government on Tuesday officially designated the Muslim Brotherhood branches in Egypt, Lebanon, and Jordan as terrorist organizations, responding to long-standing calls from key Arab allies and conservative voices within the US.
In a statement, Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the move as the start of a “sustained campaign” against the group’s activities.
“These designations mark the opening steps of an ongoing effort to prevent violence and destabilization by Muslim Brotherhood chapters wherever they operate,” Rubio said. He added, “The United States will leverage all available tools to cut off these groups from resources used to engage in or support terrorism.”
The decision follows directives issued by President Donald Trump in November, when he instructed his administration to begin actions against the pan-Islamist movement, which was founded in Egypt in 1928 and has since expanded across several Arab countries.
US officials noted that the Egyptian and Jordanian branches were specifically designated due to alleged support for Hamas, the Palestinian armed group that Washington has long classified as a terrorist organization.
The Muslim Brotherhood briefly held power in Egypt following democratic elections that brought Mohamed Morsi to the presidency. Morsi was ousted in 2013 by a military coup led by then-army chief Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, who has since overseen a broad crackdown on the organization.
Egypt, together with US allies Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, has for years advocated for the suppression of the Muslim Brotherhood, accusing the group of threatening regional stability and backing extremist movements.