The United States, under the Trump administration, officially designated the Egyptian, Lebanese, and Jordanian branches of the Muslim Brotherhood as global terrorist organizations on January 13, 2026. This action follows an executive order signed in November 2025, initiating the process to sanction these groups. The State Department classified the Lebanese Muslim Brotherhood, also known as al-Jamaa al-Islamiyah, as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT), a classification that criminalizes providing material support to the group. Concurrently, the Treasury Department designated the Egyptian and Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood branches as SDGTs, citing their alleged material support for the Palestinian militant group Hamas. US officials stated that these designations are the initial steps in a sustained effort to counter the violence and destabilization attributed to Muslim Brotherhood chapters wherever they operate. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent emphasized that the US will utilize all available tools to deprive these chapters of resources used to engage in or support terrorism. The move has implications for US relationships with allies in the region, with Egypt welcoming the designation as a crucial step against extremist ideology. Conversely, the Muslim Brotherhood's Lebanese branch dismissed the decision, asserting it has no legal effect within Lebanon. The Muslim Brotherhood, founded in Egypt in 1928, has a long and complex history, being banned in some countries while operating as a political movement in others.