President Donald J. Trump
The White House
Fact Sheets

Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Designates Fentanyl as a Weapon of Mass Destruction

The White House

DEFENDING AMERICA FROM A CHEMICAL WEAPON: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order designating illicit fentanyl and its core precursor chemical as weapons of mass destruction (WMD).

  • The Order directs the Attorney General to immediately pursue criminal charges, sentencing enhancements, and sentencing variances in fentanyl trafficking cases.
  • The Order directs the Secretary of State and the Secretary of the Treasury to pursue appropriate actions against relevant assets and financial institutions for those involved in or supporting the manufacture, distribution, and sale of illicit fentanyl and its core precursor chemicals.
  • The Order directs the Secretary of War and Attorney General to determine whether the Department of War should provide enhanced national security resources to the Department of Justice as necessary during an emergency situation involving a weapon of mass destruction.
  • The Order directs the Secretary of War, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security, to update their chemical incident response-related directives to include the fentanyl threat.
  • The Order directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to identify fentanyl smuggling networks using WMD and nonproliferation related threat intelligence.

STOPPING FENTANYL FROM POISONING OUR PEOPLE: President Trump is unleashing every available tool against the cartels and foreign networks that have turned fentanyl into the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18-45.

  • Illicit fentanyl is closer to a chemical weapon than a narcotic, claiming the lives of hundreds of thousands of Americans.
  • Just two milligrams of fentanyl—equivalent to 10-15 grains of table salt—is considered a lethal dose.
  • Cartels and Foreign Terrorist Organizations use fentanyl profits to fund assassinations, terrorism, and insurgencies while waging armed conflict over trafficking routes and other facets of their operations.
  • The potential for fentanyl to be weaponized for concentrated, large-scale terror attacks by organized adversaries is a serious threat to the United States.
  • By designating illicit fentanyl as a WMD, President Trump is ensuring the full weight of the Federal government is focused, coordinated, and mobilized to confront fentanyl as the deadly chemical weapon it is.

MAKING AMERICA SAFE AGAIN: President Trump will not rest until the cartels are dismantled, illicit fentanyl is eradicated from America’s streets, and every family is safe from this chemical weapon.

  • Immediately upon returning to office, President Trump declared a National Emergency at the southern border that allowed the United States to gain operational control of the border, combat the cartels, and secure our Nation.
  • President Trump designated eight cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) and Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs), including Tren de Aragua and MS-13, to combat their violence and drug trafficking.
  • President Trump imposed tariffs to deal with Mexico’s, Canada’s, and China’s failure to address the flow of poisonous fentanyl and other drugs into our country.
  • President Trump authorized military strikes to stop lethal drugs, destroy narco-boats, and disrupt the narcoterrorists who are poisoning the American people.
  • President Trump signed the HALT Fentanyl Act into law—permanently classifying fentanyl-related substances as a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act. He is now taking the fight to the next level by designating illicit fentanyl as a WMD to stop the cartels and protect American families.