Cruz Bill Seeks Terrorist Designation for Muslim Brotherhood

Senator Ted Cruz has introduced the Muslim Brotherhood Terrorist Designation Act of 2025, which seeks to formally designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization by sanctioning its violent branches worldwide. The bill uses a 'bottom-up' approach, urging the Secretary of State to identify and designate specific Brotherhood branches that meet terrorism criteria. Modeled after the 2017 designation of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the legislation addresses previous failures by targeting only those branches involved in terrorism. The act is supported by several Republican senators and is anticipated to gain bipartisan support, with companion legislation introduced in the House. Key Middle Eastern allies such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE back the measure, having already banned the Brotherhood. Organizations including AIPAC and CUFI have also endorsed the bill, which seeks to counter the Brotherhood's support of groups like Hamas and its threat to U.S. and allied interests.