U.S. Launches Renewed Effort to Designate Muslim Brotherhood a Terrorist Organization

By East Africa Times Reporter 

Supporters of Muslim Brotherhood wave flags of different countries

A new wave of legislative efforts is gaining momentum in the United States to designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization, spearheaded by Republican Senator Ted Cruz and supported by several prominent lawmakers in both chambers of Congress.

Senator Cruz, who has long pushed for tougher U.S. action against the Muslim Brotherhood, is now adopting a “bottom-up” strategy aimed at first targeting specific branches of the Islamist network with proven links to terrorism. This shift in approach is designed to overcome years of political opposition and address concerns that not all parts of the organization are directly involved in violent activities.

“The Muslim Brotherhood remains a serious national security threat,” Cruz said in a statement. “They are dedicated to the destruction of the United States and its allies, and they serve as a breeding ground for terrorism. This legislation is a critical step to stop their support for violent extremist groups like Hamas.”

The proposed Senate bill — co-sponsored by Republican Senators Tom Cotton, John Boozman, Rick Scott, Ashley Moody, and Dave McCormick — asserts that the Muslim Brotherhood’s global structure provides ideological, financial, and logistical support to terrorist organizations. The bill references Hamas explicitly, citing its charter that describes the group as a wing of the Muslim Brotherhood in Palestine.

It also underscores the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel, which it describes as the worst single-day massacre of Jews since the Holocaust and a tragedy that resulted in the deaths, kidnappings, or disappearances of at least 53 American citizens.

“The Brotherhood is not a benign political movement,” said Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL), who, along with Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-FL), introduced a companion bill in the House of Representatives. “It is a dangerous, subversive organization that seeks to destabilize democratic nations and support extremist violence.”

According to the legislation, the Brotherhood has systematically worked to destabilize U.S. allies in the Middle East by providing training, financial aid, strategic communications, and political cover to affiliated groups in countries across the region.

This renewed U.S. initiative aligns with a broader international trend. Across Europe and the Arab world, governments are ramping up pressure on the Muslim Brotherhood. Last week, French President Emmanuel Macron chaired an emergency National Security Council meeting and directed his administration to intensify financial sanctions and surveillance on the group. The European Parliament is reportedly preparing to take up the issue following growing calls for a unified European crackdown.

Analysts see the coordinated U.S.-European action as part of a wider strategy to dismantle the Brotherhood’s global infrastructure, freeze its funding networks, and limit its political influence.

While critics argue that labeling the entire organization as terrorist could stifle dissent and conflate political Islam with violent extremism, supporters of the bill say it’s a necessary step to close legal loopholes that have allowed the Brotherhood and its affiliates to operate freely.

The legislation is expected to spark heated debate in Congress and among civil rights groups. However, with bipartisan support emerging in the House and mounting international pressure, the campaign to formally designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization is gaining serious traction.