After the Boulder, Colorado antisemitic attack, Senator Ted Cruz is advancing legislation to designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization, potentially reshaping America’s national security approach and diplomatic relations with multiple Middle Eastern nations.
Key Takeaways
- Sen. Ted Cruz is reintroducing legislation to designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization following the Boulder, Colorado attack by a suspect who expressed support for the group.
- The suspected attacker, Mohamed Sabry Soliman, had voiced support for the Muslim Brotherhood and its former leader Mohamed Morsi before committing what officials are investigating as a targeted act of terror.
- The designation is already in place in several Middle Eastern countries including Bahrain, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the UAE.
- A growing bipartisan coalition in Congress supports the measure, with even some Democrat representatives indicating potential backing.
- Critics warn the designation could damage U.S. relationships with countries where the Brotherhood provides social services and plays legitimate political roles.
Cruz’s Decade-Long Push Gains Momentum After Boulder Attack
Senator Ted Cruz is seizing on the recent antisemitic attack in Boulder, Colorado to advance his long-standing campaign to designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization. The Texas senator has been advocating for this designation for over a decade but believes the current climate creates an opening for action. Following the attack by Mohamed Sabry Soliman, who reportedly expressed support for the Muslim Brotherhood, Cruz plans to introduce a “modernized version” of the Muslim Brotherhood Terrorist Designation Act, which he first proposed in 2014.
“The Muslim Brotherhood and the jihadists believe in using violence, using murder to force people to embrace their radical Islamist view,” Said Sen.Ted Cruz.
The Boulder attack has intensified scrutiny of extremist organizations, with Cruz arguing that President Trump’s administration must act decisively against groups that foment violence. The suspect’s family members have been taken into ICE custody, highlighting the immigration aspects of the case that resonate with conservative concerns about border security and proper vetting of foreign nationals entering the United States.
Bipartisan Support Building in Congress
What makes this legislative push particularly noteworthy is the emerging bipartisan support. Democratic Representative Jared Moskowitz has urged President Trump to investigate the Muslim Brotherhood, while Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz, another Democrat, expressed surprise that the designation hasn’t already happened. This cross-aisle consensus reflects growing concern about extremist ideologies promoting violence on American soil and signals a potential shift in how both parties approach national security threats linked to radical Islamist groups.
“The Muslim Brotherhood used the Biden administration to consolidate and deepen their influence, but the Trump administration and Republican Congress can no longer afford to avoid the threat they pose to Americans and American national security.”
Representative Randy Fine has gone even further, suggesting that the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) should also receive terrorist designation, claiming it serves as the “mouthpiece” of the Muslim Brotherhood in the United States. This expanded focus indicates that lawmakers are looking beyond the Brotherhood itself to examine its alleged network of affiliated organizations operating within American borders.
International Implications and Security Considerations
The proposed designation would align American policy with several Middle Eastern nations that already classify the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist group, including Bahrain, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates. However, security experts point out that the designation could complicate U.S. foreign relations with countries where the Brotherhood operates legally and provides social services. Current U.S. law requires terrorist designations to be based on violent actions rather than ideology or politics alone, creating a potential legal hurdle for Cruz’s legislation.
“It’s clear that the link is there, and the dangers of the school of thought and this ideology have arrived in the United States, are impacting us domestically. We’re seeing more attacks under this ideology,” said Ahmad Sharawi from the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.
The same expert who supports the designation also acknowledges potential diplomatic complications: “In some of these countries, the Muslim Brotherhood is part of the state structure. And so designating it as a terrorist organization would harm the relationship between the US and these countries.”
If enacted, the legislation would require the administration to assess whether the Muslim Brotherhood meets the criteria for a foreign terrorist organization designation. This process would involve examining the group’s historical actions, organizational structure, and stated objectives through a rigorous national security framework. Cruz appears confident that President Trump will support this initiative as part of a broader strategy to combat extremism and protect American citizens from ideologically-motivated violence.
