CONFLICTED What the U.S. Gets Wrong About the Muslim Brotherhood
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Dec 11, 2025 Lorenzo Vidino, Director of the Program on Extremism at George Washington University and a leading expert on the Muslim Brotherhood, shares his insights on this influential ideological movement. He discusses the Brotherhood's entry into the U.S. in the 1950s, the formation of early networks, and the controversies surrounding organizations like CAIR. Vidino emphasizes the differences between extremism and terrorism, critiques the Brotherhood’s governance plans, and highlights the significance of its links to Hamas, while urging a nuanced understanding of its impact on U.S. politics.
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Designation Is Not A Blanket Ban
- The Trump-era executive order targeted specific national branches rather than a global Muslim Brotherhood ban.
- Lorenzo Vidino warns policy details matter and past simplistic bills failed in Congress.
Secrecy As Organizational DNA
- Secrecy is central to the Muslim Brotherhood's survival and structure.
- That secrecy makes it hard to fully understand the movement even after decades of study.
Movement Over Monolith
- The Brotherhood is a transnational school of thought, not a single global command.
- National branches are hierarchical and autonomous while sharing doctrine and occasional coordination.
