Terror Ties Exposed: Cruz Moves to Crush Muslim Brotherhood
New legislation targets terror-linked branches first, aiming to overcome past opposition and impose sanctions on the global Islamist movement
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Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) has reintroduced a bill to designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a foreign terrorist organization, reviving his years-long push to sanction the influential Islamist group behind Hamas and other extremists threatening U.S. allies and interests.
The Muslim Brotherhood Terrorist Designation Act of 2025 marks a shift in strategy. Instead of applying the designation to the entire Brotherhood at once, the bill first targets its branches that are directly involved in terrorism, such as Hamas, which Cruz calls “a wing of the Muslim Brotherhood” per its founding charter.
“The Muslim Brotherhood supports terrorist branches, and Hamas is one of them,” Cruz said. “On October 7, Hamas carried out the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust - murdering and kidnapping over 50 Americans.”
The bill accuses the group of offering funding, training, and political backing to undermine U.S. partners such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and the UAE - all of which have already designated the Brotherhood as a terrorist organization.
Backing Cruz’s legislation are Sens. Tom Cotton (R-AR), Rick Scott (R-FL), and Dave McCormick (R-PA), among others. In the House, Reps. Mario Díaz-Balart (R-FL) and Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) introduced a companion bill, bringing bipartisan weight to the initiative.
Cruz explained that earlier efforts faltered due to concerns that not all Brotherhood branches engage in violence, especially in nations where they hold political seats. This updated bill, he says, builds a case from the bottom up - starting with branches involved in terrorism and working toward the broader designation.
The legislation requires the Secretary of State to annually report on Brotherhood affiliates worldwide and assess whether they qualify for terrorist designation. Once applied, sanctions would block entry to the U.S., revoke visas, and freeze assets. The President would be barred from lifting sanctions for at least four years post-designation. Despite growing support, Cruz acknowledged the bill faces opposition from Senate Democrats. Still, he called on Senate leadership to bring it to a vote, arguing that forcing lawmakers to publicly state their position would clarify who’s serious about combating terrorism.
If the legislation stalls, Cruz suggested a possible executive order from President Trump that could serve as an alternative route to enact the policy.