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The Lebanese branch faced the most severe designation: a full foreign terrorist organization label, which turns any aid or association into a federal felony.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent simultaneously targeted the Egyptian and Jordanian branches, branding them as specially designated global terrorists for their support of Hamas.
“These designations freeze every dollar these groups control in America, ban their members from entering the country, and criminalize any transactions with them,” officials explained.
Rubio’s actions are rooted in what these organizations did following the horrific Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023, which claimed nearly 1,200 lives.
The Lebanese Muslim Brotherhood revived its al-Fajr Forces military wing, launching rocket attacks into northern Israel alongside Hamas and Hezbollah. Documents recovered in Hamas tunnels also revealed that Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood operatives helped smuggle fighters into Gaza in 2024 to join the war against Israel. Intelligence reports confirm that Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood leaders manufactured rockets, explosives, and drones while recruiting fighters for Hamas operations.
Treasury Exposes the Terror Pipeline
The Egyptian branch ran a covert operation to funnel Hamas fighters into Gaza, coordinating closely with commanders on when and where crossings would occur. One operative in Saudi Arabia even collected funds for Hamas in 2023, personally delivering cash to militants before returning to Egypt.
Jordanian Brotherhood members took it a step further, establishing weapons production facilities and collaborating with foreign contacts to create military-grade equipment for Hamas attacks. Jordan’s government uncovered the operation in April 2024, banned the organization, seized assets, and foiled destabilization plots.
In Lebanon, the Brotherhood pushed to formally align with the Hezbollah-Hamas axis under secretary general Muhammad Fawzi Taqqosh. Israeli forces neutralized al-Fajr operatives preparing attacks in March 2024, while the Lebanese Army shut down a joint training camp in July 2025 for Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas militants.
Trump Picks Low-Hanging Targets First
Rubio’s choices weren’t random. Egypt’s Brotherhood has been weakened by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi for over a decade, Jordan’s chapter had already been targeted by King Abdullah, and Lebanon’s faction, while supportive of Hamas, lacks political protection.
These chapters were the low-hanging fruit—easy wins to establish precedent without causing diplomatic backlash. The real power centers of the Muslim Brotherhood, however, remain untouched:
- Qatar hosts Brotherhood leadership and has bankrolled the group for decades.
- Turkey shields its operations and aligns ideologically.
- Syria’s chapter is embedded within opposition movements.
Trump’s strategy is clear: start with manageable targets, set the legal and financial groundwork, then tackle branches that are politically sensitive or embedded in allied governments. Financial sanctions hit all chapters the same—every dollar in U.S. banks or transactions can be blocked or seized. Members also lose access to travel in the U.S. or other countries honoring U.S. designations.
The Muslim Brotherhood: A Transnational Terror Incubator
Since its founding in Egypt in 1928, the Muslim Brotherhood has been a breeding ground for terror. Hamas’s 1988 charter identified the group as its parent organization. ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi trained under its guidance, and Al Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri also rose through its ranks.
Trump considered a full designation of the Brotherhood during his first term but faced bureaucratic and diplomatic hurdles. Egypt welcomed the move, calling it recognition of the Brotherhood’s extremist ideology and a direct threat to regional security. Egypt outlawed the group in 2013, arresting roughly 60,000 members and stripping the organization of public operations.
Before the federal designation, Florida and Texas had already labeled the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization. Rubio made it clear: this is only the opening move in Trump’s campaign to dismantle the Brotherhood globally.
Finally, the administration is doing what should have been done decades ago—cutting off the funding and networks that allow terror organizations to thrive.
