The White House is looking at ways to place parts of the Muslim Brotherhood under a foreign terrorist designation, with speculation increasing that it may be soon.
Several countries already consider the Brotherhood to be a terrorist group, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain and Russia. Critics say the organisation, which was founded in Egypt in the 1920s, backs violent extremist forces across the Middle East. Hamas, for instance, grew from a Brotherhood affiliate in the 1980s.
Prominent Republicans have for years called for the Muslim Brotherhood to be called a terrorist group, but a blanket designation has so far proven unworkable because the group has branches operating in dozens of countries and is not centrally organised.
A push to designate the group during US President Donald Trump's first term was not realised and the Biden administration did not pursue it.
In July, politicians in the Senate and House of Representatives introduced legislation that would designate the Brotherhood as a terrorist organisation. The push appears to have stalled amid the government shutdown.
“The global Muslim Brotherhood has numerous regional branches, including terrorist organisations such as Hamas, and spreads violence and instability throughout the Middle East,” Republican Representative Mario Diaz-Balart said.
“It is crucial to US national security interests that we prohibit US dollars from enabling the Muslim Brotherhood’s dangerous activities, and that we ensure Muslim Brotherhood members are blocked from entering the United States.”
In August, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said a terrorist designation for parts of the Brotherhood was “in the works”.
“Obviously there are different branches of the Muslim Brotherhood, so you’d have to designate each one of them,” Mr Rubio said.
In a sign of increasing conservative frustration on the issue, the Texas Republican Party this month passed a resolution urging Mr Rubio to designate the Brotherhood as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation. It also called on Mr Trump to consider issuing an executive order designating the Brotherhood.
Republicans, who control all branches of government, generally agree that “the Brotherhood is a challenge that hasn't been fully understood or fully addressed", said David Adesnik, the vice president of research at the Foundation for Defence of Democracies think tank, noting that they now want to “do something about it”.
The FDD on Monday released a report that seeks to advise the US government on which branches of the Brotherhood could be eligible for an FTO designation.
Some branches, particularly in Libya, Jordan, Lebanon and Yemen, meet US criteria for terrorist designation, but others may not, the foundation said.
In April, Jordan thwarted a plot against the kingdom's security by members of the Brotherhood, who were arrested on suspicion of making rockets and possessing explosives. The members had worked in four cells since 2021, with some receiving training in Lebanon or travelling abroad to obtain help in missile production.
“The Brotherhood is a gateway to terrorism, infusing members with the religious doctrines and hatred that justify violence,” the FDD report states.
Any US policy must be tailored to take into account the different standpoints of Brotherhood branches, the report notes.
“Within the West, the primary need is for vigorous law enforcement as well as education about the nature of the Brotherhood,” the report states. “Abroad, especially in the Mideast, Washington should consider the use of terror designations and other sanctions.”
Washington insiders think some sort of executive action from the White House could come any day. Laura Loomer, an influential, far-right podcaster who describes herself as a “proud Islamophobe”, has long called for the Brotherhood to be designated a terrorist group.
On Sunday, she posted a long message to Sebastian Gorka, Mr Trump's senior director for counter-terrorism, saying it was “ridiculous” that the administration had not already taken action.
Ms Loomer suggested one reason an FTO designation has not yet been issued was because Qatar had lobbied against it. Critics have long accused Doha of supporting Hamas and other Brotherhood affiliates, and claim Qatar's Al Jazeera news network pushes pro-Brotherhood stories.
“Washington seems not to recognise this problem, granting Qatar the status of a major non-Nato ally,” the FDD said in its report.
Mr Trump has deepened ties with Qatar in his second term. He accepted as a gift a jumbo jet that will be used as Air Force One and forced Israel to apologise to Doha for bombing it last month.
Another consideration is the risk that designating the Brotherhood as a terrorist group could serve to radicalise affiliates that currently renounce violence.
