Congress softens bill targeting Muslim Brotherhood after Trump intervention

The administration of US President Donald Trump has intervened forcefully in recent days following pressure from Qatar and Turkey to curb congressional momentum towards designating branches of the Muslim Brotherhood as terrorist organisations, according to congressional sources.

The legislation, strongly supported by Israel’s allies in Washington, had been advancing through key committees with provisions that would have required the designation of multiple Brotherhood branches—and potentially the organisation as a whole—as terrorist entities.

Following what sources described as “direct intervention” from the White House, the House Foreign Affairs Committee has frozen several provisions in the bill, opting to amend the text before sending it for a vote. The revised version removes language mandating the automatic designation of Brotherhood branches, a move that has angered pro-Israel lawmakers who had championed the tougher draft.

Committee Chairman Brian Mast, a Republican from Florida, supported the amendments. Media outlets reported that Mast acted after receiving requests from President Trump himself.

The original legislation, introduced in both chambers of Congress, included a requirement for the Secretary of State to assess each branch of the Muslim Brotherhood and determine whether they meet the legal criteria for designation as a foreign terrorist organisation. These sections have now been stripped out in the amended version.

The development comes amid active diplomatic efforts by Qatar and Turkey, both of which oppose any blanket terrorist designation of the Muslim Brotherhood and maintain political ties with various branches across the region.

READ: Muslim Brotherhood rejects US terrorist designation, accuses UAE and Israel of involvement