Overview
- President Donald Trump on Dec. 15 signed an executive order declaring illicit fentanyl a weapon of mass destruction and directing the Attorney General, State Department and Defense Department to coordinate counter-fentanyl actions.
- DEA Administrator Terry Cole said the designation provides "more tools" and opens resources to combat trafficking, framing the response as a national-security effort.
- The DEA plans to roll out Operation Engage in Detroit in early 2026, pairing enforcement with education and community outreach, according to agency officials.
- Human Rights Watch and public-health experts dispute the WMD framing and warn of expanded militarized law enforcement, citing reports of at least 26 U.S. strikes on suspected drug-running boats this year that killed at least 99 people.
- CDC figures cited in coverage estimate about 48,000 U.S. deaths involving fentanyl last year, a 27% decline from the prior year, even as officials emphasize the drug’s potency and the risk of counterfeit pills.