Trump declares fentanyl a weapon of mass destruction: what does it mean
Kyiv • UNN
US President Donald Trump has classified fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction, giving the government additional powers in the fight against illicit trafficking. This move will allow the US to use military force against drug traffickers, particularly in Venezuela.
US President Donald Trump on Monday signed an executive order classifying fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction, giving the US government additional legal authority to combat the illicit trafficking of the synthetic drug, UNN reports, citing Politico.
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The executive order cites the lethality of the drug, which kills tens of thousands of Americans each year, as well as the fact that transnational criminal groups, which the Trump administration has designated as foreign terrorist organizations, use fentanyl sales to fund activities that undermine US national security.
Speaking in the Oval Office during the signing of the order, the US President stated that the amount of drugs entering the US by sea has decreased by 94% (most drugs, including fentanyl, enter the US through land ports of entry). Trump added that drug flows are "a direct military threat to the United States of America."
The administration has focused significant resources on combating fentanyl as part of its efforts to secure the US border with Mexico. Senior administration officials claim that strict immigration restrictions and border security measures implemented by Trump have led to a drop in domestic fentanyl consumption.
"Thanks to a secure border, lives are being saved every day, sex trafficking has plummeted, fentanyl has plummeted," said Tom Homan, who currently serves as the "border czar" in the Trump administration, on Monday.
While classifying the drug as a weapon of mass destruction is an almost unprecedented presidential move, there have been public debates before about characterizing fentanyl in this way. The Biden administration previously faced pressure from a bipartisan contingent of attorneys general to classify fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction. And fentanyl, even in small amounts, is powerful enough to kill a large number of people very quickly through overdose.
The synthetic drug, which has some limited legal pharmacological uses, mostly enters the United States through Mexico, where drug cartels produce fentanyl using "chemical precursors" imported from China. Fentanyl production also thrives in the Golden Triangle region of Southeast Asia, which includes Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand. Fentanyl can be easily manufactured in makeshift laboratories, which exacerbates the difficulties authorities face in eradicating production within their borders.
Meanwhile, the administration has accused cartels operating in Venezuela of illegally importing fentanyl into the United States as a justification for using lethal force against suspected drug traffickers in the Caribbean. Venezuela, while considered a hub for cocaine trafficking, is not considered a major player in the global fentanyl trade.
The timing of this designation is striking, as speculation grows that the US will launch ground strikes against suspected drug trafficking targets on Venezuelan soil as part of its pressure campaign against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Declaring fentanyl a weapon of mass destruction would give the US additional legal grounds to use military force against Venezuela.
Claims that Iraq still possessed weapons of mass destruction were used as a legal justification for the invasion of the Middle Eastern country and the overthrow of its then-leader Saddam Hussein under the administration of George W. Bush.
The US has also previously launched military strikes against Colombian and Mexican drug cartels, and it is expected that the US will eventually shift its focus from Venezuela to threats from groups in these countries.