By Andrew StantonShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberA handful of Democratic legislators have signed onto bills that would designate the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization, a move for which President Donald Trump expressed support on Monday.
Newsweek reached out to the Democratic lawmakers for comment via email.
Why It Matters
Trump signed an executive order Monday directing officials to consider whether certain chapters of the Muslim Brotherhood should be designated as foreign terrorist organizations. The administration says the move is part of its efforts to counter extremist networks in the Middle East. It comes after Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott designated the organization as a terrorist group earlier this month.
What To Know
The measure would have support from some Democrats, as several have cosponsored legislation to designate the group as a foreign terrorist organization. Five Democrats have signed onto the “Muslim Brotherhood Terrorist Designation Act of 2025,” introduced by a pair of Republicans, Senator Ted Cruz of Texas and Representative Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida.
...The following Democrats have expressed support for the act:
- Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania
- Representative Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey
- Representative Greg Landsman of Ohio
- Representative Jared Moskowitz of Florida
- Representative Tom Suozzi of New York
Moskowitz urged Trump to “conduct a comprehensive investigation to designate the Muslim Brotherhood a Foreign Terrorist Organization” in a letter sent to his administration in June.
Doing so would “enhance the ability of U.S. law enforcement and intelligence agencies to disrupt financial networks and recruitment activities connected to its affiliates,” he wrote to Trump.
“The Muslim Brotherhood has a documented history of promoting extremist ideologies and supporting terrorist activities through various affiliates,” he wrote. “For more than a decade, the Muslim Brotherhood and its affiliates, including Hamas, have been designated as terrorist organizations due to the serious threat they pose to the region.”
The Muslim Brotherhood, founded in Egypt in 1928, is a transnational Sunni Islamist organization. It is uncertain whether the move will gain broader support among Democrats or if it is just confined to a handful.
What People Are Saying
Trump’s executive order, in part: “The Muslim Brotherhood, founded in Egypt in 1928, has developed into a transnational network with chapters across the Middle East and beyond. Relevant here, its chapters in Lebanon, Jordan, and Egypt engage in or facilitate and support violence and destabilization campaigns that harm their own regions, United States citizens, and United States interests.”
Moskowitz, in a July press release: “The Muslim Brotherhood has a documented history of promoting terrorism against the United States, our allies, and our society. Countries such as Bahrain, Egypt, Austria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and France have already taken important steps to investigate and crack down on the Muslim Brotherhood and its affiliates. The U.S. government has to have the authority to crack down on the serious threats posed by this group as well.”
What Happens Next
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent were ordered to report on potential designations of Brotherhood chapters in countries like Egypt, Lebanon and Jordan. They have 45 days to act if such labels are warranted.
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