U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday he expects “announcements next week” tied to President Donald Trump’s executive order on the Muslim Brotherhood. The order, signed on November 24, 2025, directs the State Department and the Treasury Department to examine whether specific Muslim Brotherhood chapters or subdivisions — including those in Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt — should be designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) under U.S. immigration law and/or as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs) under U.S. sanctions authorities.
Under the executive order, Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent must submit a joint report to the president within 30 days, after consulting the attorney general and the director of national intelligence. The order also sets a 45-day window after that report for the relevant departments to take “appropriate action” on any designations.
If designations are issued, they would sharply expand legal and financial pressure. An FTO designation can trigger criminal penalties for providing “material support,” while SDGT sanctions can freeze assets under U.S. jurisdiction and restrict transactions; such actions can also lead to visa and entry restrictions for individuals linked to designated entities.
The White House has argued the move targets what it calls a transnational network that “fuels terrorism and destabilization campaigns” against U.S. interests and allies in the Middle East.
The push comes amid long-running pressure from Republicans in Congress — joined by some Democrats — urging the State Department to designate the Muslim Brotherhood, or parts of it, as a terrorist organization.
