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The United States announced this Tuesday the official designation of the Muslim Brotherhood affiliates in Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon as global terrorist organizations, in a decision made by the State Department and the Treasury Department.
The measure -announced in an official statement- is part of a new counter-terrorism strategy driven by the administration of President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
"The State Department designates the Lebanese branch of the Muslim Brotherhood as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT), and includes its leader, Muhammad Fawzi Taqqosh, on the SDGT list," the statement notes.
The Secretary of State noted that the appointments aim to "protect the security of the United States and its allies" against groups that—according to Washington—"have extended their influence in the Middle East through financing and promoting violent actions."
Rubio stated that the U.S. government "will not tolerate the double standard of organizations that speak of peace while supporting Hamas terrorism."
The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) reported that the general secretary of the Lebanese subsidiary, Muhamed Tauzi Taqush, has been placed on the list of specially designated global terrorists, which entails the immediate freezing of his assets under U.S. jurisdiction and prohibits any transactions with entities or individuals linked to him.
According to the OFAC, the affiliates of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon are believed to have participated in recruitment, training, and funding activities aimed at armed groups such as the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas).
The U.S. research indicates that these branches contributed to the sending of resources and fighters to Gaza, as well as to the planning of actions against Israeli and Western interests in the region.
“Despite their political and religious facade, these affiliates have served as logistical and financial platforms for the expansion of Islamist extremism,” stated John Hurley, Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence.
According to Hurley, the connections between the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas have intensified since 2025, aiming to undermine the stability of Washington's allied governments, particularly Egypt and Jordan.
The imposed sanctions block access for leaders and members of the affiliates to financial systems controlled by the United States, and prohibit U.S. companies and banks from maintaining any economic ties with them.
Furthermore, the State Department warned that it could expand the list to include other related organizations if ties to extremist activities are detected.
The official statement emphasizes that this decision is part of the global campaign by the Trump Administration to "combat the financing of terrorism and close off support channels for organizations that promote violence and regional instability."
Rubio stated that "these sanctions send a clear message to the accomplices of extremism: there will be no refuge or impunity for those who finance terror."
With this designation, the United States reinforces its policy of pressure on the Islamist networks operating in the Middle East, while strengthening its alliance with strategic Arab governments in response to the influence of Iran and its allied groups.
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