Overview

• Government records show a 30% drop in fentanyl seizures at the southern border in the first half of fiscal 2025 compared to the same period in fiscal 2024, with related data indicating a 54% year-over-year decline.
• White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt denounced The Washington Post’s “mysterious” headline and credited President Trump’s strengthened border measures for the seizure downturn.
• The Washington Post reports that the decline began in late 2024 before President Trump took office, suggesting the trend predates his administration.
• Independent analysts highlight that smugglers have adopted alternative routes and point to cartel infighting and precursor chemical shortages as additional drivers of reduced trafficking.
• Republican lawmakers and conservative commentators have seized on the figures to praise Trump’s border policies and accuse major news outlets of bias in their coverage.