Washington (CNN) The Trump administration is planning to designate the Muslim Brotherhood a foreign terrorist organization, an effort that is "working its way through the internal process," White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said Tuesday.

Sanders was responding to a New York Times report, citing officials familiar with the matter, that said the administration was working to make the designation, a move that would impose "wide-ranging economic and travel sanctions" on entities that do business with the group.

The Times said that following a White House visit earlier this month by Egypt's President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, the administration "directed national security and diplomatic officials to find a way to place sanctions on the group."

According to the paper, Sisi "urged" President Donald Trump to make the move during a private meeting during his visit, and the President "responded affirmatively," agreeing "it would make sense."

The Times also said the decision has caused infighting at the White House, including during a meeting held last week by the National Security Council that included top officials from different departments. National security adviser John Bolton and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo are supportive of the decision, the paper said, but the Defense Department, longtime national security staff and others have "voiced legal and policy objections."

Read More