Trump Classifies Fentanyl as a Weapon of Mass Destruction

President Trump signed an executive order on Monday that officially categorizes fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction. This signing occurred during a ceremony in the Oval Office, where he also awarded the Mexican Border Defense Medal, stating that he was “taking another step to protect the American people from the deadly scourge of fentanyl flooding our nation.”

“With this historic executive order that I’m signing today, we’re officially classifying fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction, and that’s what it is. No other bomb has that much effect. As far as we know, it kills 200,000 to 300,000 people every year,” he emphasized.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, synthetic opioid overdose deaths, primarily due to fentanyl, increased significantly, reaching 48,422 in 2024, quite a jump from 76,282 in 2023.

Trump also mentioned observing a 50% decrease in fentanyl entering the U.S. through the southern border, asserting that “China is working very closely to reduce the number and amount of fentanyl being shipped.”

As reported, precursor chemicals from China are often sent to Mexico where they are processed and then smuggled into the United States.

During the executive order announcement, Trump presented the Mexican Border Defense Medal to 13 military members. Secretary of the Army Pete Hegseth noted that this medal, first awarded in 1918, is being revived to recognize those who have defended the southern border.

“The great thing about this medal is that it was actually first awarded in 1918, and we’re bringing back an old medal that used to exist, a medal given to the men and women who defended the southern border,” Hegseth explained.

He added, “We used the exact same image, the same colors, the same metals… Our men and women will be wearing the exact same medals as those who defended our nation’s sovereignty 100 years ago.”

Trump also pointed to the substantial challenges at the border during former President Biden’s tenure, commenting that the southern border was surrendered to criminals and drug cartels before he took office.

He claimed that, after illegal immigration surged under Biden, his administration ended catch-and-release policies. According to Breitbart News, there were months without illegal immigrants being released into the U.S., and border crossings in October hit an all-time low for Customs and Border Protection.

“More than 25,000 warriors took part in this historic operation. This is certainly an incredibly historic operation; never before have we acted so effectively, and we have won so many victories,” he noted.

Trump concluded by acknowledging the sacrifices made by those involved, saying, “They endured days and nights of scorching heat and bitter cold, giving up holidays and weekends.”