Last month, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order requiring his administration to determine whether certain branches of the Muslim Brotherhood, such as those in Lebanon, Egypt, and Jordan, will be classified as "foreign terrorist organizations and global terrorist organizations with a special classification."
The U.S. President can issue executive orders to direct federal agencies to research or initiate classification procedures, but he alone cannot execute the full legal classification outside what federal law permits.
According to U.S. law, only the U.S. Secretary of State has the authority to officially classify foreign terrorist organizations, after consulting with the Attorney General and the Secretary of the Treasury. The process requires notification to Congress and publication in the Federal Register.
Rubio stated in August that "while the Muslim Brotherhood represents a serious concern," the process of classifying it as a terrorist on the federal level could be hindered by legal requirements that obligate the U.S. government to provide substantial documents and evidence to the court.
If the Muslim Brotherhood were classified as a terrorist group, it would immediately subject them to U.S. sanctions and restrictions, including travel bans and legal restrictions, bar American citizens from funding any of its activities, whether inside or outside the U.S., prohibit banks from conducting any financial transactions for it, and prevent those associated with the Brotherhood from entering the United States.
