Muslim Brotherhood: U.S. designates three national chapters as terrorist groups

The U.S. designated the Lebanese, Jordanian and Egyptian chapters of the Muslim Brotherhood as terrorist organizations, with the State Department labeling the Lebanese branch a foreign terrorist organization and Treasury listing the Jordanian and Egyptian branches as specially designated global terrorists.

The U.S. designated the Lebanese, Jordanian and Egyptian chapters of the Muslim Brotherhood as terrorist organizations, a move announced by the Trump administration. The decision entered a long-running regional and international debate over the group's role and reach. The Muslim Brotherhood began in Egypt in 1928 under Hassan al-Banna and developed into a transnational network. Its leaders say the group formally renounced violence decades ago, though some offshoots have engaged in armed activity. Key facts: - U.S. officials announced the Lebanese branch was designated as a foreign terrorist organization, a label that the State Department says makes providing material support a criminal offense. - The Jordanian and Egyptian branches were listed by the U.S. Treasury as specially designated global terrorists; U.S. officials said those listings were connected to support for Hamas. - The Muslim Brotherhood originated in Egypt in 1928 and later spread across the region; its leaders cite peaceful political participation while critics point to armed offshoots and linked groups. - Many senior Brotherhood figures are jailed or live in exile in several countries; the Brotherhood's supreme guide, Mohammed Badie, remains imprisoned under life sentences in Egypt. Summary: The U.S. designations change the legal status of the named chapters and introduce criminal penalties for certain kinds of support to the Lebanese branch. The move highlights existing regional divisions over the Brotherhood's role in politics and security. Undetermined at this time.