Photo courtesy of Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
The US State Department designated the Lebanese branch as a foreign terrorist organization, the most severe designation, making it a criminal offence to provide material support to the group.
The US Treasury also listed the Jordanian and Egyptian branches as specially designated global terrorists for providing support to Hamas.
The Saudi Foreign Ministry emphasized the Kingdom’s support for measures that strengthen the security, stability, and prosperity of Arab states, while reinforcing regional and global security. It also reaffirmed Saudi Arabia’s longstanding position in condemning all forms of extremism and terrorism.
Egypt also welcomed the US decision, describing it as an important step that highlights the extremist ideology of the Muslim Brotherhood and the threat it poses to regional and international security.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the US announcement underscores the dangers posed by the group and its ideology, which Cairo considers a direct threat to stability and public safety.
The ministry praised the efforts of the US administration under President Donald Trump to combat international terrorism, adding that the designation aligns with Egypt’s long-standing position on the Muslim Brotherhood, which it classifies as a terrorist organization.
Egypt noted that it and other countries in the region have suffered for decades from the Brotherhood’s activities, accusing the group of exploiting religion for political purposes and engaging in violence against civilians, security forces, and state institutions to undermine national stability.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent were tasked in 2025 under an executive order signed by Trump to determine the appropriate way to impose sanctions on the groups, which US officials say engage in or support violence and destabilization campaigns that harm the United States and other regions.
“These designations reflect the opening actions of an ongoing, sustained effort to thwart Muslim Brotherhood chapters’ violence and destabilization wherever it occurs,” Rubio said in a statement. “The United States will use all available tools to deprive these Muslim Brotherhood chapters of the resources to engage in or support terrorism," he added.
The Muslim Brotherhood was founded in Egypt in 1928 but was banned there in 2013. Jordan announced a broad ban on the Muslim Brotherhood in April 2025.
Trump, a Republican president, considered designating the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization in 2019 during his first term. Some prominent Trump supporters, including right-wing influencer Laura Loomer, have pushed for aggressive action against the group.
Two Republican-led state governments, Florida and Texas, also designated the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization this year.
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