Trump Signs Executive Order Designating Fentanyl a Weapon of Mass Destruction 

Latest Developments

• Executive Order To Designate Deadly Opioid as WMD: President Donald Trump signed an executive order on December 15 to designate the drug fentanyl and “its core precursor chemicals” as a Weapon of Mass Destruction (WMD). According to the order, the drug, manufactured and distributed primarily by “organized criminal networks, threatens our national security and fuels lawlessness in our hemisphere and at our borders.” Trump asserted that “no bomb does what this [fentanyl] is doing.” The drug, an opioid analgesic used to relieve severe pain, killed more than 48,000 people in the United States in 2024.
• Recent Strikes on Alleged Narcoterrorists: In February, the Trump administration designated some drug cartels, including Tren de Aragua, MS-13, and the Sinaloa Cartel, as foreign terrorist organizations, a move officials say allows for military action against boats trafficking illicit narcotics to the United States. U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) announced on December 15 that forces involved with Joint Task Force Southern Spear had carried out strikes against three vessels allegedly engaged in the trafficking of narcotics, killing eight suspected “narco-terrorists.” Since September, there have been at least 25 strikes on alleged drug trafficking boats in both the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean.
• Hegseth, Rubio Attend Classified Hearing: Members of the House and Senate grilled top national security officials during classified sessions led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on December 16, debating whether Trump has the authority to launch military action against Venezuela without congressional consent. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said that the officials offered nothing new in the briefing, claiming that the administration was not being transparent about the targeting of Venezuelan drug boats in the Caribbean. On December 12, Trump claimed that U.S. forces had “knocked out 96 percent of the drugs coming in by water, and now we’re starting by land.”

FDD Expert Response

“President Trump is correct to treat fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction that has already snuffed out hundreds of thousands of lives. Those countries and networks engaged in trafficking or manufacturing fentanyl for illegal use should be treated no differently than those who threaten the United States with chemical or nuclear weapons.” — Mark Dubowitz, CEO

“President Trump has taken forward-leaning action in classifying fentanyl and its core precursor as WMDs. Skilled states or terrorists could weaponize and aerosolize pharmaceutical-based agents like fentanyl to indiscriminately kill large numbers of people. The president’s executive order will unleash enhanced counter-WMD tools to detect, interdict, and halt the trafficking of such substances into the United States and more strongly penalize those who intend to harm Americans.” — Andrea Stricker, Nonproliferation Program Deputy Director and Research Fellow

“Following up on the administration’s designation of several drug cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations, President Trump’s new executive order labeling fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction provides a new legal toolset in the battle against the deadly drug trade. The Trump administration has a chance to destabilize — and hopefully destroy — the cartels and their enablers, but only if enforcement is prioritized and resourced.” — Josh Birenbaum, Center for Economic and Financial Power (CEFP) Deputy Director

FDD Background and Analysis

“US deploys carrier, issues airspace warning, seizes oil tanker in latest Caribbean escalations,” by Samuel Ben-Ur

“U.S. Seizes ‘Dark Fleet’ Supertanker With History of Oil Smuggling Off Venezuelan Coast,” FDD Flash Brief

“A Free Venezuela Elevates U.S. Energy Security,” by Saeed Ghasseminejad

“Venezuelan Oil Exports Continued Despite U.S. Escalation in November,” by Saeed Ghasseminejad