The United States has formally designated Muslim Brotherhood–linked organisations in Egypt, Lebanon, and Jordan as terrorist groups, marking a major shift in Washington’s approach to political Islam and intensifying scrutiny of Muslim advocacy organisations at home, including the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).

The move, ordered by President Donald Trump and implemented on 13 January, cites alleged support for Hamas and activities “against Israeli interests in the Middle East.” The US Treasury labelled Brotherhood chapters in Egypt and Jordan as specially designated global terrorists, while the State Department imposed the harsher foreign terrorist organisation (FTO) designation on the Lebanese group.

The decision comes amid a broader Republican-led push to dismantle what officials describe as Islamist networks operating under the guise of civil society. In recent weeks, Texas and Florida issued executive orders branding CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood as foreign terrorist organisations, triggering bans on property ownership, government contracts, and financial activity.

Analysts say the policy marks a historic departure from decades of US engagement with political Islam, replacing dialogue and containment with legal and administrative suppression. Critics warn the crackdown could strip American Muslim communities of key civil-rights protections, while supporters argue it closes loopholes long exploited by extremist-linked groups.

The developments signal a fundamental redefinition of national security policy—one that may permanently alter the relationship between the US state and organised Muslim political activism.