Muslim Brotherhood chapters in Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan designated as terrorist groups by US

The United States has formally designated the Lebanese, Egyptian, and Jordanian chapters of the Muslim Brotherhood as terrorist organizations, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Monday.

Rubio said the move was made under the direction of President Donald Trump and follows the administration’s broader effort to dismantle Islamist networks viewed as threats to US national security.

“Today, we are designating the Lebanese, Egyptian, and Jordanian chapters of the Muslim Brotherhood as terrorist groups,” Rubio wrote. “Under President Trump’s leadership, the United States will eliminate the capabilities and operations of Muslim Brotherhood chapters that threaten U.S. citizens and our national security.”

In a press statement released by the State Department, Rubio said the action represents the first step in implementing Executive Order 14362, which targets foreign extremist organizations deemed hostile to US interests.

“Today, as a first step in support of President Trump’s commitment to eliminate the capabilities and operations of Muslim Brotherhood chapters that pose a threat to the United States,” Rubio said, “the United States is imposing terrorist designations against the Lebanese, Jordanian, and Egyptian chapters of the Muslim Brotherhood.”

Under the designations, the Lebanese Muslim Brotherhood has been listed as both a Foreign Terrorist Organization and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist entity. The group’s leader, Muhammad Fawzi Taqqosh, was also designated as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist.

At the same time, the Department of the Treasury designated the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood and the Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood as Specially Designated Global Terrorists for providing material support to Hamas.

“These designations reflect the opening actions of an ongoing, sustained effort to thwart Muslim Brotherhood chapters’ violence and destabilization wherever it occurs,” Rubio said.

He added that the US government would “use all available tools to deprive these Muslim Brotherhood chapters of the resources to engage in or support terrorism.”

The Muslim Brotherhood is a transnational Islamist movement with affiliates across the Middle East and beyond.