U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Tuesday that the Trump administration is advancing efforts to officially designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization — a move long championed by Republican lawmakers and many Middle East allies.
Speaking on Sid & Friends in the Morning, Rubio was pressed by host Sid Rosenberg about the Brotherhood’s alleged influence in American politics, including support for New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani. Rosenberg also questioned whether the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) might face a similar designation in the future.
“All of that is in the works,” Rubio replied. “Obviously, there are different branches of the Muslim Brotherhood, so you’d have to designate each one of them.”
Rubio stressed that the legal process is extensive, requiring thorough documentation to withstand expected court challenges. “These things are going to be challenged in court. Any group can say, ‘Well, I’m not really a terrorist.’ You have to show your work like a math problem when you go before court,” he explained. “All you need is one federal judge — and there are plenty — that are willing to do these nationwide injunctions and basically try to run the country from the bench. So we’ve got to be so careful.”
Republican Push Gains Momentum
The announcement follows a renewed legislative push by Republican senators Ted Cruz, Tom Cotton, John Boozman, Rick Scott, Ashley Moody, and Dave McCormick, who introduced the Muslim Brotherhood Terrorist Designation Act of 2025 in July. The bill cites the group’s deep ties to Hamas, which the U.S. has long designated as a foreign terrorist organization.
“The Muslim Brotherhood is a terrorist organization, and it provides support to Muslim Brotherhood branches that are terrorist organizations,” Senator Cruz stated, pointing to the October 7 Hamas massacre in Israel, which killed and kidnapped Americans.
A bipartisan companion bill was also introduced in the House by Democratic Representatives Jared Moskowitz, Tom Suozzi, and Josh Gottheimer, alongside several Republican lawmakers.
A History of Extremism
Founded in Egypt in 1928, the Muslim Brotherhood has combined radical Islamist ideology with fascist influences and has been accused of promoting antisemitism, hostility toward Christians, and violent jihad against secular and non-Islamist governments.
The group is already banned or designated as a terrorist organization by Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Russia, and Jordan. Several European nations, including France and Austria, have taken steps to restrict its activities.
Jordan officially outlawed the Muslim Brotherhood earlier this year after authorities reportedly foiled a terrorist plot involving its operatives.
Middle East and Gaza Conflict
During the interview, Rubio also addressed developments in Gaza, arguing that Hamas must be “eliminated” to achieve lasting peace. He dismissed recent moves by Australia, Canada, the U.K., and France to recognize a Palestinian state as “symbolic” gestures aimed at domestic audiences.
“The truth of the matter is that the future of that region is not going to be decided by some U.N. resolution,” Rubio said. “It’s going to be decided by: when will the day come when Palestinian areas are not governed by terrorist organizations? Because that’s truly what this comes down to — the security of Israel.”
If the Trump administration’s designation process is completed, the Muslim Brotherhood could face severe financial sanctions, visa bans for its members, and restrictions on any U.S.-based affiliates.
