AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): President Donald Trump has begun the process of banning the Muslim Brotherhood in the United States, directing federal agencies last week to examine whether several foreign branches of the group meet the criteria for designation as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.
According to a report by Edmund Brown, former British ambassador to Yemen and senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, Trump’s decision comes amid rising Republican concerns over national security during the past two years, particularly following the Israeli assault on Gaza. He notes that recent university protests featuring Islamist themes have renewed debate over the perceived influence of Islamist movements in American academic and civic spaces. Supporters of Trump’s move argue that the prohibition of the Muslim Brotherhood in the U.S. is “at least a decade overdue.”
Brown emphasizes that the Muslim Brotherhood is a structured ideological movement with a long record of political activity, and that its ultimate aim is described as “the establishment of a global caliphate.” He adds that the group adapts its methods depending on each country’s political landscape, often adopting a more activist and organizational role in open societies or states with weaker institutions.
The former British diplomat notes that the president’s initiative coincides with the ongoing “Muslim Brotherhood Terrorist Designation Act” in the U.S. Congress, a bill sponsored by Mario Diaz-Balart in the House and Ted Cruz in the Senate. The progression of this legislation, Brown argues, may have motivated Trump to act before Congress takes its own steps.
Under the new executive directive, three foreign branches of the Brotherhood—in Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon—are set to undergo review, with assessments due by mid-December and a final decision expected by the end of January. The order authorizes U.S. intelligence agencies to trace the group’s financial and organizational networks without generating political friction.
However, Brown points to what he calls a “fundamental ambiguity” in Trump’s decision: the president’s close relationship with Qatar and Turkey. Both states are major backers of the Muslim Brotherhood, yet neither has been included in the review process. Several right-wing figures in the U.S. have criticized this exemption.
The report notes that examining the Brotherhood’s activities in Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon is likely to highlight the central role Qatar and Turkey play in supporting the movement globally. In addition, related inquiries into foreign influence on U.S. university campuses are expected to shed new light on Qatar’s involvement in the educational sector.
The policy shift is likely to reverberate internationally. European governments have long hesitated over how to approach the Muslim Brotherhood, and analysts suggest Washington’s move could encourage them to follow Austria’s example, which has already banned the organization.
Brown concludes that the success or failure of this initiative will depend on subsequent U.S. actions and those of its allies, and whether the executive order marks the beginning of a “lasting shift” in the West’s approach to the Muslim Brotherhood.
**************
End/ 345E
