President Donald Trump has taken a groundbreaking step by issuing an executive order that categorizes illicit fentanyl and its precursor chemicals as Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD), emphasizing that the drug presents a threat akin to that of chemical weapons rather than traditional narcotics.

Speaking from the Oval Office on Monday, Trump stated, “By signing this landmark executive order, we are officially recognizing fentanyl for what it truly is: a weapon of mass destruction. This is another crucial move to safeguard Americans from the deadly influx of fentanyl into our nation.”

The order underscores the notion that illicit fentanyl is more similar to a chemical weapon than a typical narcotic. It highlights the danger of extremely small quantities, noting that just two milligrams—comparable to 10 to 15 grains of table salt—can be fatal. The document cites the tragic loss of hundreds of thousands of American lives to fentanyl overdoses and identifies the drug’s manufacture and distribution by organized crime as a grave national security risk.

It further describes the role of cartel networks in supplying fentanyl to the U.S., attributing them with spreading “lawlessness” throughout the Western Hemisphere and financing activities such as assassinations, terrorism, and insurgencies in other regions.

The order points out that the leading cartels involved in fentanyl trafficking are engaged in armed conflicts over territory, leading to widespread violence that extends beyond the drug crisis. It also raises alarms about the possibility of fentanyl being used in “large-scale terror attacks” by adversarial forces—a key reason for applying WMD statutes.

“As President of the United States, my highest duty is the defense of the country and its citizens,” the order states. “Accordingly, I hereby designate illicit fentanyl and its core precursor chemicals as Weapons of Mass Destruction.”

US President Donald Trump signs an executive order during a Mexican Border Defense medal presentation in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, US, on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. Trump said he was classifying fentanyl as a “weapon of mass destruction” in his latest push to ratchet up pressure on Latin America over drug trafficking. (Bonnie Cash/UPI/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The directive outlines a broad interagency strategy to confront fentanyl trafficking using tools typically reserved for nuclear, chemical, and biological threats. It instructs the Justice Department, State Department, Treasury Department, the Department of War, and the Department of Homeland Security to take “appropriate action” to eliminate the threat posed by illicit fentanyl and its precursor chemicals.

Under Section 2, the order requires the Justice Department to immediately intensify investigations and prosecutions. State and Treasury must target traffickers with sanctions and financial penalties, while the Departments of War and Justice will determine whether military resources should support enforcement efforts. 

The Pentagon and Homeland Security are directed to update domestic chemical-incident response plans to include fentanyl, and Homeland Security must use WMD-related intelligence to identify smuggling networks and strengthen counter-fentanyl operations.

President Donald Trump speaks during a bill signing ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on Wednesday, July 16, 2025. Trump signed legislation that strengthens criminal penalties for fentanyl, hailing it as a historic step toward justice in his latest effort to address the public health crisis spurred by the deadly drug.  (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The order concludes with definitions of “illicit fentanyl” and “core precursor chemicals,” and includes standard provisions noting that implementation must comply with existing law, creates no new legal rights, and will be carried out using available appropriations. The Justice Department will cover the cost of publication as part of the order’s implementation.

“This is yet another action in President Trump’s crackdown on fentanyl — on behalf of every American who has lost a loved one to this deadly poison,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt wrote in a post on X.

Officials say the WMD designation will enable more aggressive investigations, deeper interagency coordination, and heightened international pressure on cartels and their financial backers, marking one of the most significant escalations in the federal government’s approach to the fentanyl crisis.

“No bomb does what this is doing,” Trump said. “We’re losing 200,000 to 300,000 people every year that we know of. So we’re officially designating fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction.”

Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Send story tips to stepheny.price@fox.com.