US State of Florida designates Muslim Brotherhood and Islamic Council CAIR as terrorist groups

The State of Florida in the United States of America (USA) has designated the Muslim Brotherhood and the Council on American-Islamic Relations as terrorist organisations.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida announced this while signing Executive Order 25-244, on December 8, 2025.

The order, directs Florida agencies to “undertake all lawful measures” to prevent what the state describes as “unlawful activities” by the groups and to deny public contracts, employment, funds, or other state-provided benefits to any individual or entity that provides material support to them.

In a post on social media on Tuesday, DeSantis shared a copy of the executive order, designating the Muslim Brotherhood and its affiliate Council on American-Islamic Relations as foreign terrorist and transnational criminal organisations.

“The Muslim Brotherhood and any chapter or subdivision thereof, the Council on American-Islamic Relations, and any other organisation designated by the United States Government as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation under section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. §1189) are hereby designated as terrorist organizations for the purpose of this Executive Order,” said the executive order.

The declaration document cited the Muslim Brotherhood’s Jihad ideology, parallel to America’s principles, its link to Hamas, attack on Israel, and affiliation to CAIR, amongst other factors, responsible for its designation as a terrorist organisation.

It also cited CAIR’s financing of terrorism within America and the convictions of some of its members in providing support for terrorist organisations.

“Florida agencies are hereby directed to undertake all lawful measures to prevent unlawful activities by these organizations, including denying privileges or resources to anyone providing material support,” DeSantis said.

In an emailed statement to ABC, CAIR and its Florida chapter said the organization plans to sue DeSantis in response to what it called an “unconstitutional” and “defamatory” proclamation.

Neither CAIR nor the Muslim Brotherhood is designated as a foreign terrorist organisation by the US government.

However, President Donald Trump has ordered the start of a process to label the branches of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, Lebanon and Jordan as “terrorist” organisations, citing their alleged support for Hamas.

Founded in 1994, CAIR has 25 chapters around the US.

CAIR last month asked a federal judge to strike down Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s proclamation, saying in a lawsuit that it was “not only contrary to the United States Constitution, but finds no support in any Texas law.”

The Muslim Brotherhood was established in Egypt nearly a century ago and has branches around the world. Its leaders say it renounced violence decades ago and seeks to set up Islamic rule through elections and other peaceful means. Critics, including autocratic governments across the Middle East region, view it as a threat.

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