The key facts

  • Trump said the Muslim Brotherhood is now

Trump's statement

US President Donald Trump, in an interview with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt, compared the threats posed by the Muslim Brotherhood and communism. According to him, both threats are serious, but the Islamist movement is currently

The administration's course against the movement

The statement continues the administration's line: in January, Washington designated the movement's Lebanese, Egyptian, and Jordanian branches as terrorist organizations; the Jordanian branch was accused of

Context and consequences of the designations

For American conservatives and the Republican Party, criticism of communism has traditionally been important ever since the Cold War, when the USSR and the spread of communist movements were seen as the main threats to Western democracy. After Trump's return to office, the US intensified pressure on communist Cuba and its ideological ally Venezuela. The Muslim Brotherhood was founded in Egypt in the 1920s; it is considered a terrorist organization, in particular, by the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain, and Russia. American designations are aimed at isolating groups: they block access to the US financial system and resources for attacks, and individuals and companies interacting with designated entities may also come under sanctions.