BREAKING: Trump declares fentanyl a weapon of mass destruction in new EO

“No bomb does what this is doing — 200 to 300,000 people die every year that we know of,” Trump said. “So we’re formally classifying fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction.”

The designation directs multiple federal agencies to take coordinated action against fentanyl production, distribution, and financing.

Under the order, the attorney general is instructed to pursue enhanced criminal charges and sentencing increases in fentanyl trafficking cases. The secretary of state and the treasury secretary are also directed to target assets and financial institutions linked to the illicit fentanyl trade and its precursor chemicals.

The order further calls on the Department of Defense and the Department of Justice to determine whether additional national security resources should be deployed during fentanyl-related emergencies. Defense and homeland security officials are instructed to update chemical incident response plans to account for the fentanyl threat.

Homeland Security is also tasked with identifying fentanyl smuggling networks using intelligence tools typically reserved for weapons of mass destruction and nonproliferation efforts.

In a statement, the White House said the executive order is intended to “defend America from a chemical weapon” by formally designating illicit fentanyl and its core precursor chemicals as weapons of mass destruction. The administration said the order directs the attorney general to pursue enhanced criminal charges and sentencing in fentanyl trafficking cases, while the secretaries of state and the treasury are tasked with targeting assets and financial institutions tied to the drug’s production and distribution.

The Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security are also instructed to update chemical incident response plans and use WMD-related intelligence to identify fentanyl smuggling networks.

The White House said fentanyl is “closer to a chemical weapon than a narcotic,” noting that just two milligrams can be lethal and that the drug has become a leading cause of death among Americans aged 18 to 45. The statement warned that cartel profits from fentanyl are used to fund terrorism, violence, and insurgent activity, and that the drug poses a risk of being weaponized for large-scale attacks.

“By designating illicit fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction, President Trump is ensuring the full weight of the federal government is mobilized to confront fentanyl as the deadly chemical weapon it is,” the statement said, adding that the administration will continue efforts to dismantle cartels, secure the border, and eliminate fentanyl from US communities.