The Muslim Brotherhood in 2025: Designated Terrorists, Previously USAID-Funded?

A Fault Line Investigation — Published by The Beacon Press
Published: November 25, 2025
https://thebeaconpress.org/the-muslim-brotherhood-in-2025-designated-terrorists-previously-usaid-funded

Executive Breath

The Muslim Brotherhood, founded in Egypt in 1928, has for seven decades been simultaneously:

On November 24, 2025, President Trump signed an executive order directing Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to evaluate designating certain Brotherhood chapters as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) and Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs).

The Official U.S. Position (Pre-November 24, 2025)

The State Department has historically viewed the Brotherhood as a “non-violent Islamist political movement” despite its Hamas ties and October 7, 2023, rocket support from the Lebanese chapter (State Dept Country Reports on Terrorism 2024). USAID granted $35–50 million annually to MB-linked NGOs (e.g., Islamic Relief Worldwide, $10M in 2023) for “democracy promotion” (GAO 2025).

The Money Trail (U.S. Taxpayer Funds)

Since 2011, U.S. aid to MB-affiliated groups totals $300 million+:

The Qatar-Turkey Axis (Open Patrons)

Qatar hosts MB leaders and funds MB media (Al Jazeera, $500M/year). Turkey's AKP (Erdogan) aligns with MB ideology, providing $100M+ in aid to MB-linked Syrian groups (RAND 2024).

The Arab Ban List (Evidence Dossiers)

The 1991 Explanatory Memorandum: Key Snippets (Seized 2004, Entered as Evidence 2008)

The “An Explanatory Memorandum on the General Strategic Goal for the Group in North America” (Mohamed Akram, 1991) outlines the MB’s U.S. strategy as a “Civilization-Jihadist Process”:

“The process of settlement is a ‘Civilization-Jihadist Process’ with all the word means. The Ikhwan must understand that their work in America is a kind of grand Jihad in eliminating and destroying the Western civilization from within and ‘sabotaging’ its miserable house by their hands and the hands of the believers so that it is eliminated and God’s religion is made victorious over all other religions.”

“It is a Muslim’s destiny to perform Jihad and work wherever he is and wherever he lands until the final hour comes…”

Attachment lists 29 U.S. groups as “our organizations and the organizations of our friends,” including ISNA, NAIT, ICNA, MSA — many now CAIR affiliates (Holy Land Foundation trial exhibits, DOJ 2008).

2025 Status: Trump’s Executive Order (November 24)

President Trump signed an executive order directing Rubio and Bessent (consulting AG Pam Bondi and DNI Tulsi Gabbard) to submit a 30-day report on designating MB chapters in Lebanon, Jordan, and Egypt as FTOs/SDGTs under 8 U.S.C. § 1189 and EO 13224. Action due within 45 days if appropriate — asset freezes, travel bans, criminal support penalties. Justification: MB’s Hamas ties and post-October 7 rocket attacks (White House Fact Sheet, November 24, 2025).

Sources (Full Attribution — Pillar 3: Truth Only)

  1. Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Begins Process to Designate Certain Muslim Brotherhood Chapters… – White House, Nov 24, 2025
  2. Designation of Certain Muslim Brotherhood Chapters as Foreign Terrorist Organizations… – White House Executive Order, Nov 24, 2025
  3. An Explanatory Memorandum on the General Strategic Goal for the Group in North America – Investigative Project on Terrorism (English translation), 1991
  4. Holy Land Foundation Trial Exhibits – DOJ 2008 (declassified)
  5. UAE Federal Law No. 7/2014 – UAE Ministry of Interior
  6. Egyptian Court Ruling 2013 – Egyptian Judiciary

Action Demand (Pillar 7)

Demand MB funding transparency – contact USAID: “Audit all grants to MB-linked NGOs since 2011.”
→ USAID Contact

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