Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order designating illicit fentanyl and its core precursor chemicals as weapons of mass destruction (WMD). The president took this action during a ceremony in the Oval Office, where he highlighted the drug’s lethality and its threat to national security. Officials from the Department of Defense and other agencies attended the event.
The executive order describes illicit fentanyl as “closer to a chemical weapon than a narcotic.” It notes that a lethal dose can be as small as two milligrams, equivalent to 10 to 15 grains of table salt. Hundreds of thousands of Americans have died from fentanyl overdoses in recent years, making it the leading cause of death for adults aged 18 to 45, according to White House statements.
The order also points to the role of criminal networks, including cartels and foreign terrorist organizations, in manufacturing and distributing the drug. These groups use profits to fund violence and other operations.
Practically, the designation mobilizes a broader range of federal tools against fentanyl trafficking. The order directs the Attorney General to pursue enhanced criminal charges and sentencing in trafficking cases. It instructs the Secretaries of State and Treasury to target assets and financial institutions linked to the drug’s production and sale.
The order also requires the Department of Defense to update directives on chemical incident responses to include fentanyl threats. It tasks the Secretary of Homeland Security with using WMD-related intelligence to identify smuggling networks. Additionally, it opens the possibility for military resources to support law enforcement in certain emergencies.
The White House describes the move as ensuring “the full weight of the Federal government is focused, coordinated, and mobilized” against fentanyl. This builds on prior administration actions, including border emergency declarations, cartel designations as terrorist organizations, and permanent scheduling of fentanyl-related substances under controlled substances laws.
The designation applies specifically to illicit fentanyl, defined as the drug manufactured or distributed in violation of federal controlled substances laws. Core precursor chemicals, such as certain piperidone-based substances, are included in the scope.