Washington DC: The United States has taken a major step toward labeling certain branches of the Muslim Brotherhood as terrorist organizations, following a new directive from President Donald Trump. The White House announced that the president has instructed top officials to investigate the activities of several Brotherhood chapters and determine whether they should be placed on the federal terrorist list.
According to the White House fact sheet released this week, the order focuses on chapters in Egypt, Lebanon and Jordan. The administration says these groups are suspected of supporting violent organizations in the region, including providing assistance to Hamas and coordinating with Hezbollah during attacks against Israel.
The president has asked the secretary of state and the treasury secretary to study the evidence and report back. Once their findings are submitted, they will have forty five days to decide whether to take action. If the chapters are designated, they could face strict sanctions, including freezing of assets and travel restrictions.
The Muslim Brotherhood is a large international movement with political and social branches that vary widely by country. Because of this, the decision to focus on specific chapters rather than the entire movement has drawn attention from analysts who warn that the group is not uniform. Some experts say the move may complicate relations with governments in the Middle East, especially in countries where the Brotherhood participates in politics legally.
At the state level, Texas Governor Greg Abbott recently issued his own declaration naming both the Muslim Brotherhood and the Council on American Islamic Relations as terrorist organizations under state law. Political observers note that this is a symbolic move, since only the federal government can make an official national designation.
The federal review is still in its early stages, and no final decision has been made. Officials say the process aims to strengthen national security by identifying foreign groups that may pose threats to the United States or its allies.
The coming weeks are expected to bring further debate and diplomatic reactions as the investigation continues.