Dec 8, 2025 - Politics & Policy

Florida designates CAIR, Muslim Brotherhood as foreign terrorist groups

Rebecca Falconer

A dark-haired Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, wearing a navy jacket with a US flag pin at the top of his left lapel, white shirt and red tie, speaks during a press conference on April 10. — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis during a briefing earlier this year. Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Florida has designated the Muslim Brotherhood and the Council on American-Islamic Relations as foreign terrorist organizations, "EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY," Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) announced Monday evening — prompting CAIR to vow it'll sue his administration.

The big picture: CAIR, the largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy group in the U.S., has already filed a lawsuit against Texas after Gov. Greg Abbott (R) last month designated the two groups as foreign terrorist organizations.

Neither group features on the U.S. government's list of designated foreign terrorist organizations.

State of play: "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 a post that shared the order on the governor's social media accounts.

Separately, DeSantis wrote on his personal X account that members of the Forida Legislature "are crafting legislation to stop the creep of sharia law, and I hope that they codify these protections for Floridians against CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood in their legislation."

Zoom in: DeSantis' order says CAIR was "founded by persons connected to the Muslim Brotherhood," which the order connects to Hamas and the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel.

CAIR denies ties to Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood, a loose-knit transnational Sunni Islamist movement with international chapters across multiple Arab nations that was founded in Egypt.

The grassroots organization that was founded in 1994 has said that it "unequivocally" condemns all acts of terrorism, including by Hamas.

What they're saying: CAIR in a statement accused DeSantis of signing a "defamatory and unconstitutional order baselessly smearing" the group and prioritizing "serving the Israeli government over serving the people of Florida."

It noted that DeSantis held his "first official cabinet meeting in Israel" and a bonds deal with Israel's government.

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Florida designates CAIR, Muslim Brotherhood as foreign terrorist groups

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