WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Monday began the process of designating certain Muslim Brotherhood chapters as foreign terrorist organisations and specially-designated global terrorists, a move would bring sanctions against one of the Arab world’s oldest and most influential Islamist movements.
Trump signed an executive order directing secretary of state Marco Rubio and treasury secretary Scott Bessent to submit a report on whether to designate any Muslim Brotherhood chapters, such as those in Lebanon, Egypt, and Jordan, according to a White house fact sheet. It orders the secretaries to move forward with any designations within 45 days of the report.
The Trump administration has accused Muslim Brotherhood factions in those countries of supporting or encouraging violent attacks against Israel and US partners, or of providing material support to Palestinian militant group Hamas.