Washington Moves Against the Muslim Brotherhood: New Bill Proposes Terrorist Designation

Washington is moving forward with a new legislative step targeting the Muslim Brotherhood, following the submission of a bill by Republican Representative Nancy Mace to designate the group as a “Foreign Terrorist Organization.”

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Titled “The Muslim Brotherhood Terrorist Designation Act of 2025,” the proposal comes as part of a series of earlier attempts that failed to gain consensus in Congress. However, this time it is gaining increasing momentum within Republican circles.

The new legislative initiative was directly referred to the House Judiciary Committee and is based on historical and political interpretations that hold the Brotherhood responsible for laying the ideological foundations of violence and extremism since its emergence in the 1930s.

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The accompanying explanatory memorandum highlights the Brotherhood’s links to various political assassinations, as well as its support for affiliated groups such as Hamas, which has been officially designated as a terrorist organization by the United States since 1997.

Through this bill, Representative Mace seeks to push the U.S. State Department to update its stance on the group and formally include it on the list of foreign terrorist organizations under the Immigration and Nationality Act.

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If enacted, the designation would prohibit any financial dealings with the Brotherhood, freeze its potential assets in the United States, and ban any domestic funding of the group from within American territory.

The bill has received renewed backing from well-known Republican Senator Ted Cruz, who previously introduced similar measures during earlier legislative sessions, none of which advanced to a vote. In press statements, Cruz reiterated that ignoring the threat posed by the Muslim Brotherhood reflects a “strategic blindness,” criticizing what he described as a “double standard” in the designation of extremist groups.

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At the same time, warnings persist that such a designation could open the door to legal and diplomatic complications, particularly given the ongoing debate within U.S. institutions about the global nature of the Brotherhood and its dual role in politics and religious outreach. Supporters of the bill argue, however, that the group has exploited this ambiguity for decades to expand its influence not only in the Middle East but also in Western societies.

While the bill is still in its early stages, its timing and strong Republican support reflect a more decisive approach in dealing with the group, aligning with similar designations made by countries such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates since 2013.

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