Overview
- President Donald Trump signed the executive order on Dec. 15, labeling illegal fentanyl a WMD to protect Americans.
- The order says manufacturing and sales by foreign terrorist organizations and drug cartels undermine U.S. national security.
- Trump asserted that fentanyl causes 200,000 to 300,000 deaths annually, citing the toll to justify the move.
- Reporting notes that classifying a narcotic as a WMD is highly unusual and is intended to support tougher enforcement.
- The implications for operations remain unclear, including any effect on recent U.S. attacks on suspected smuggling vessels in the Caribbean or talk of action involving Venezuela.