Event Summary
On 13 January 2026, the US Treasury under the Trump administration designated Jordan’s Muslim Brotherhood chapter, along with those in Egypt and Lebanon, as a terrorist organization, on the basis that such chapters “purport to be legitimate civic organizations while, behind the scenes, they explicitly and enthusiastically support terrorist groups like Hamas.” This designation means that these groups are now subject to U.S. sanctions.
In justifying the designation of the Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood, the US Treasury pointed to the early 2025 arrests of members in Jordan on charges of manufacturing weapons, which had then been followed up by Jordan to ban Jordan’s Muslim Brotherhood entirely.
The situation needs to be followed closely as there are some potential spillover effects relevant to the EE. This is particularly with regard to the situation of the Islamic Action Front (IAF), a Jordanian political party with a significant parliamentary bloc and an established presence in formal political life. In political circles, discussions have emerged around different scenarios that could follow the U.S. administration’s decision, including the possibility of dissolving the Islamic Action Front on the grounds of alleged links to the Muslim Brotherhood, as well as more far-reaching scenarios such as dissolving Parliament due to the presence of IAF-affiliated members within it. At this stage, the overall picture remains unclear, and it is not yet evident which direction these dynamics may take.