Trump signs order classifying fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction

Trump signed an executive order classifying fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction, following months of an international anti-drug campaign.

US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on 15/12, stating that "illegal fentanyl resembles a chemical weapon more than a drug". The order highlighted the extreme potency of fentanyl: "Just 2 mg, a tiny, almost undetectable amount, equivalent to 10-15 grains of table salt, is enough to be lethal. Hundreds of thousands of Americans have died from fentanyl overdoses".

President Trump explained his classification of fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction, remarking that "no bomb or bullet causes such consequences", referring to the widespread fatalities from fentanyl use. He asserted, "They are trying to poison our country".

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) previously defined a weapon of mass destruction as "a radiological, chemical, biological, or other device intended to cause harm to a large number of people".

Trump speaks in the Oval Office on 15/12. Photo: AFP

Fentanyl, an opioid painkiller, stands as the leading cause of overdose deaths in the US. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it led to over 80,000 American fatalities in 2024 alone.

The new executive order directs Attorney General Pam Bondi to immediately launch investigations and prosecutions concerning fentanyl trafficking. It also calls upon the Department of State and the Department of the Treasury to target the assets and personal accounts of individuals involved in these drug networks.

Furthermore, the Department of Defense and DHS received additional powers to target countries, gangs, and organizations implicated in fentanyl production and trafficking.

Trump's signing of the order follows months of controversial US operations targeting suspected drug-carrying vessels in the Caribbean Sea. Previously, Trump had imposed tariffs on China, Canada, and Mexico, accusing them of "not doing enough" to curb the flow of fentanyl into the US. He also designated several drug gangs as foreign terrorist organizations.