On Sunday, President Donald Trump declared his intention to formally label the Muslim Brotherhood as a foreign terrorist organization. This announcement stems from new information highlighting the group’s increasing radicalism and influence in the West. Founded in Egypt in the 1920s, the Muslim Brotherhood has evolved into a significant force, mixing religious teachings with political action and social welfare initiatives.
The group once gained significant power, winning the Egyptian presidency during the Arab Spring of the early 2010s, but their rule ended in 2013. Egypt, along with the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, has classified the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization. Trump, in an interview with Just the News, stated, “It will be done in the strongest and most powerful terms. Final documents are being drawn.” His commitment comes as think tanks and lawmakers have long pressed for this designation.
The federal designation aims to shut off funding and support for the Brotherhood’s operations. Analysis from the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy indicates that the group has made significant progress—reaching the halfway point—in a century-long plan to reshape Western society. Dr. Charles Asher Small, ISGAP’s director, warns, “We are now 50 years into the Brotherhood’s 100-year plan to entrench themselves into key institutions in the United States and other Western societies to undermine and destroy our democracy.”
The Muslim Brotherhood, which encompasses various factions, advocates for strict adherence to Sharia law and has ambitions of establishing a caliphate. For context, a caliphate is a system of governance based on strict Islamic law, which often leads to severe restrictions on women’s rights and harsh punishments. This type of governance stands in stark contrast to the Judeo-Christian values upheld by the West.
A recent report by the Foundation for Defense of Democracies asserts that “Globally, the Brotherhood is a gateway to terrorism, infusing members with the religious doctrines and hatred that justify violence.” It describes a process where fervent members either form splinter groups or join existing terrorist organizations.
Trump first contemplated labeling the Brotherhood as a terrorist organization during his initial term. The group’s response was to describe their actions as promoting “moderate and peaceful thinking.” However, their motto starkly contradicts this image: “Allah is our objective. The Prophet is our leader. The Qur’an is our law. Jihad is our way. Dying in the way of Allah is our highest hope.” Such rhetoric suggests a far more aggressive agenda than the organization claims.
In August, Secretary of State Marco Rubio noted that the designation process was already in motion, emphasizing the need to address the many branches within the Muslim Brotherhood. He highlighted the careful preparation required by the State Department to implement this significant designation.
The impending action against the Muslim Brotherhood represents a pivotal moment in U.S. counter-terrorism policy and a response to concerns about the group’s evolving role in Western society.
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