Trump designates fentanyl as WMD, inflates death toll

President Trump designated illicit fentanyl and its core precursor chemicals as Weapons of Mass Destruction through an executive order on Dec. 15, 2025. Trump became the first U.S. president to classify a narcotic as a weapon of mass destruction. The designation puts fentanyl in the same category as nuclear, biological and chemical weapons.

The executive order justifies the designation by stating that illicit fentanyl is closer to a chemical weapon than a narcotic. The order says two milligrams, an almost undetectable trace amount equivalent to 10 to 15 grains of table salt, constitutes a lethal dose. Medical experts say the two-milligram lethal dose is oversimplified and depends on tolerance, route of exposure, and other factors.

The order directs the Attorney General to immediately pursue criminal charges, sentencing enhancements, and sentencing variances in fentanyl trafficking cases. Federal prosecutors can now seek longer sentences for fentanyl trafficking by citing the WMD designation. Defense attorneys say the designation is arbitrary and could lead to disproportionate sentences.

The order directs the Secretary of State and Treasury to pursue actions against relevant assets and financial institutions involved in fentanyl manufacturing and distribution. The Treasury can impose sanctions on foreign entities involved in fentanyl production. The State Department can designate countries as non-cooperative in counter-narcotics efforts.

Most drug policy experts say designating fentanyl as a WMD isn't likely to cut the supply of drugs on American streets or slow U.S. overdose deaths. Experts say the designation is symbolic and doesn't change the underlying drivers of the opioid crisis. Some experts worry it could lead to more militarized responses that don't address addiction as a public health issue.

The executive order comes as part of a wider militarization of the U.S. war against street drugs that includes military strikes on alleged drug-running boats and reclassifying cartels as terrorist organizations. Trump has authorized the military to conduct operations against suspected drug traffickers in international waters. Critics say militarization has failed to reduce drug supply in past decades.

The DEA signaled a broader crackdown after Trump called fentanyl a weapon of mass destruction. The DEA announced increased enforcement efforts targeting fentanyl distributors. The agency said it would prioritize cases involving large-scale fentanyl trafficking organizations.