On Tuesday, the U.S. Treasury and State Department designated various branches of the Muslim Brotherhood as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO) or Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGT).
The designation was announced by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who identified the Lebanese Muslim Brotherhood as both an FTO and SDGT, along with its leader, Mohammad Fawzi Takkosh, also labeled an SDGT.
Additionally, the Ministry of Finance pointed out the Egyptian and Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood branches as “SDGTs providing material support to Hamas.”
This decision follows President Donald Trump’s request for a review in late November regarding the classification of Muslim Brotherhood groups.
Rubio stated, “These designations mark the initial steps by Muslim Brotherhood affiliates to counteract violence and instability where it arises.”
He added, “The United States plans to employ all available means to cut off these branches from resources that could support terrorism.”
John John, Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, issued a statement accusing both the Egyptian and Jordanian factions of conspiring to aid Hamas and undermining their governments’ sovereignty.
“The Muslim Brotherhood has not only inspired but also funded terrorist groups like Hamas, which pose a direct threat to the safety of Americans and our allies… Despite their seemingly peaceful exterior, the Egyptian and Jordanian branches have facilitated Hamas’s activities and worked to erode their governments’ authority. We will utilize all tools at our disposal to hold this network accountable for the violence it has perpetuated across the Middle East and beyond in pursuit of an extremist ideology.”
The Treasury’s announcement further detailed the implications of sanctions resulting from these designations.
“Following this action, any property or interests of the individuals identified as designated or blocked that are in the United States, or owned by U.S. citizens, will be frozen and must be reported to the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Furthermore, any entity that is over 50% owned, directly or indirectly, by any of the blocked individuals will also be subject to sanctions. Transactions involving the property or interests of these blocked individuals are generally prohibited unless permitted by OFAC regulations.”
Sebastian Gorka, a deputy assistant to the president, commended Trump’s actions in light of the announcements from both state and treasury officials.
“This step should have happened many years ago, but it took a president who comprehended the serious threat of Salafist jihadism to make it happen,” he remarked.
