Prominent Investor Joe Lonsdale Calls for US to Ban Muslim Brotherhood, Citing Terror Ties and Middle East Precedent

Venture capitalist and Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale recently called for the United States to take decisive action against the Muslim Brotherhood, advocating for its designation as a terrorist organization. In a public statement, Lonsdale applauded former President Trump's "America First" leadership, asserting that it entails "confronting our enemies with clarity and strength." His remarks highlight a persistent debate within U.S. foreign policy circles regarding the group's status and the approach to combating perceived threats.

Lonsdale specifically accused the Muslim Brotherhood and its branches of fueling extremism, funding terror, and undermining both America and its allies. He noted that "Our partners in the Middle East, including many Muslim countries we respect and partner with in business and security, have already banned the Muslim Brotherhood," urging that "It’s about time we acted." While several countries such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE have designated the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization, the U.S. State Department has consistently refrained from doing so, citing concerns about its complex political and social roles and potential diplomatic repercussions.

The investor also raised concerns about domestic vigilance, stating, "as we just learned from Minnesota, where taxpayer dollars were funneled through Somali networks to al-Qaida-linked terrorists, we must stay vigilant to stop letting US funds end up in the hands of the bad guys." Federal authorities have indeed investigated individuals within Minnesota's Somali community for providing material support to groups like Al-Shabaab, an al-Qaida affiliate. However, the broad claim of systemic "taxpayer dollars" being directly "funneled" through community networks to terror groups has often been a point of political contention, with investigations typically focusing on individual illicit activities rather than systemic government funding channels.

Lonsdale's statement aligns with his established public advocacy for a strong, assertive American foreign policy, often emphasizing technological superiority and national security. He concluded by asserting that "The world is safer when the USA acts boldly and with moral clarity against the Communists and Islamists." This perspective underscores the "America First" doctrine, which prioritizes U.S. national interests, often through a skeptical view of multilateral agreements and a focus on confronting perceived adversaries directly.