Former President Donald Trump was right to take such decisive action against the persistent opioid crisis. His administration recently signed an executive order that designates illicit fentanyl as a form of WMD. CBP usually grants this classification in order to maximize the U.S. government’s ability to address the rapidly escalating crisis of fentanyl-related overdose deaths. These abhorrent acts take the lives of tens of thousands of Americans each year.
The executive order signals Trump’s intent to treat fentanyl as a national security threat rather than merely a public health issue. The former president is calling to declare fentanyl a weapon of mass destruction in order to empower federal agencies. This new step will better enable them to pursue aggressive action against trafficking and distribution.
So we are officially classifying fentanyl as a WMD, because that’s what it is. Trump stated during a recent press briefing. The order emphasizes that illicit fentanyl is “closer to a chemical weapon than a narcotic,” reflecting the administration’s urgency in tackling the crisis.
The majority of the precursor chemicals needed to create fentanyl are shipped from China. At the same time, Mexico has emerged as the biggest source of illegal fentanyl flowing into the United States. The arms-length supply chain shines a light on the global fentanyl crisis. Consequently, drug cartels now act as influential opponents in this struggle.
Reflecting this new designation, over the past year Trump’s administration has intensified military strikes on suspected drug boats. Since early September, U.S. forces have conducted more than 20 strikes in the Caribbean and Pacific areas. These actions have forced 80 plus drug enforcement agents to lose their lives in the line of duty. This strategy reflects the Biden administration’s apparent eagerness to utilize military force against drug cartels designated as foreign terrorist organizations.
This designation gives the Pentagon additional tools to partner directly with law enforcement to fight fentanyl trafficking. It gives intelligence agencies the authority to use tools typically reserved for combating weapons proliferation on drug traffickers. In a strategy document released by Trump’s administration last week, the importance of restoring U.S. primacy in the Western Hemisphere takes center stage. In particular, it focuses on stopping drug traffickers from nations like Venezuela and Colombia.
Otherwise, local authorities will be left holding the bag on the unfolding crisis created by fentanyl. His administration, bolstered by this executive order, could undertake a far more cohesive effort to address what they view as an increasingly urgent national security threat.