Why Labeling Muslim Brotherhood "Chapters" as Terrorist Groups Is Problematic

"OPINION - The White House this past November issued a Presidential action statement designating certain Muslim Brotherhood "chapters" as terrorist organizations. On Tuesday, the U.S. State Department and U.S. Treasury Department announced the designations of the Lebanese, Jordanian, and Egyptian chapters of the Muslim Brotherhood as terrorist organizations. The Egyptian and Jordanian chapters received a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) designation. The Lebanese chapter received both the SDGT designation and a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) designation."

"In the spring of 2019, Washington, responding to mounting pressure by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, decided to brand the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood (MB) a terrorist organization. There was no mention of "chapters" outside Egypt. Having followed the MB and interviewed many of its members for years during my government service, I published an article in 2019 questioning the underlying assumptions of the plan. This article is a revised version of my 2019 piece."

The White House issued a Presidential action statement in November designating certain Muslim Brotherhood "chapters" as terrorist organizations. The U.S. State Department and U.S. Treasury Department designated the Lebanese, Jordanian, and Egyptian chapters; Egyptian and Jordanian chapters received Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) designations, while the Lebanese chapter received both SDGT and Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) designations. Washington branded the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization in spring 2019 following pressure from Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, with no mention then of chapters outside Egypt. In fall 2025, leaders of the United Arab Republic, Jordan, Bahrain, and Lebanon pressured the administration to label the MB a terrorist group. The Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood was founded by schoolteacher Hassan al-Banna in 1928 in response to British colonial influence and a pro-Western corrupt monarchy.

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