Trump Signs Exec. Order Labels Muslim Brotherhood a Terrorist Organization/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ President Trump has announced plans to label the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization. The move follows warnings of the group’s alleged infiltration into U.S. institutions and state-level actions like Texas’ recent designation. Experts warn the group’s influence poses long-term risks to democratic governance.
Trump Muslim Brotherhood Designation Quick Looks
- Trump says terror designation for Muslim Brotherhood is imminent
- Texas has already declared the group a terrorist organization
- ISGAP report alleges deep U.S. institutional infiltration
- Report ties Brotherhood’s ideology to militant jihadist goals
- CAIR also labeled terrorist group by Texas Gov. Abbott
- Group accused of influencing U.S. civil rights policies
- Analysts warn of funding links to Qatar and radical entities
- Experts call for Congress to act based on new findings
Trump Signs Exec. Order Labels Muslim Brotherhood a Terrorist Group
Deep Look
President Donald Trump has signaled his administration is finalizing plans to officially designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a foreign terrorist organization, a decision that would carry significant implications for national security policy and U.S. diplomatic relations.
In an interview over the weekend with Just the News, Trump stated, “It will be done in the strongest and most powerful terms. Final documents are being drawn.”
His remarks follow Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s move to label both the Muslim Brotherhood and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) as terrorist organizations—part of a broader crackdown based on concerns about ideological influence and national security threats.
The renewed push comes in response to a newly released 200-page report by the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy (ISGAP), which claims the Muslim Brotherhood has worked to embed itself in various branches of the U.S. government, including the State Department, Department of Justice, and Department of Homeland Security. The report alleges infiltration has taken place through career appointments and advisory roles, allowing the Brotherhood to subtly influence American civil policy and political discourse.
Founded in Egypt, the Muslim Brotherhood has long been regarded as the intellectual and ideological origin of many modern Islamist movements. According to ISGAP, while it may differ from groups like al-Qaeda in strategy, the Brotherhood shares the broader objective of establishing Islamic governance under Sharia law. The report warns that the group’s “gradualist” approach masks deeper ideological ties to radical jihadism.
Charles Asher Small, executive director of ISGAP, welcomed Trump’s position. “A formal U.S. designation would represent an important first step to confront the Muslim Brotherhood in the United States,” he said in a press release. “This will require sustained, evidence-based policy, serious scrutiny of its affiliated structures and funding streams, and long-term investment in democratic resilience.”
The report also outlines financial links between the Muslim Brotherhood and nations such as Qatar, as well as its extensive use of social media, educational outreach, and nonprofit fronts to further its ideological reach. It calls on Congress to take the next step by translating the administration’s findings into legislative action.
Critics have raised concerns about civil liberties implications and the possibility of political overreach, especially regarding groups and individuals who may be loosely affiliated with or influenced by Brotherhood ideology without directly engaging in violence. However, proponents argue the move is essential to combat what they see as a growing, coordinated influence campaign.
“The Brotherhood is the progenitor of all modern jihadist terror groups, from al-Qaeda to HAMAS,” wrote Sebastian Gorka, Deputy Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Counterterrorism, on X. “The time has come.”
The push for designation is not new. Lawmakers, including Senator Ted Cruz, have previously introduced legislation to label the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization. However, the Trump administration appears more determined than ever to formalize the label—backed by growing public pressure and state-level precedents.
If enacted, the designation could empower federal agencies to take stronger legal action against Brotherhood-affiliated groups, cut off funding sources, and increase scrutiny of foreign influence within domestic policy institutions. It would also mark one of the most consequential steps yet by the U.S. government in redefining how it treats non-violent Islamist movements that still pose ideological threats.
As the final documents near completion, the implications for U.S. policy, national security, and civil discourse may prove far-reaching and long-lasting.
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