Overview
- President Donald Trump signed the decree in Washington, asserting illegally traded fentanyl resembles a chemical weapon more than a narcotic.
- Officials warn the substance could be weaponized for concentrated large-scale terrorist attacks, framing the threat as a national-security issue.
- The directive authorizes the Justice Department to initiate investigations and tasks the Department of Homeland Security with exposing smuggling networks.
- The administration has accused Mexico, Canada and China of facilitating fentanyl smuggling, though the decree itself does not name specific countries.
- Trump cited annual U.S. deaths of 200,000 to 300,000 from fentanyl and the move revives debate over the contested WMD label and comparisons to Iraq-era claims.