President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday designating fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction as the administration escalates its conflict with Venezuela and “narco-terrorists.”
The administration continues to strike suspected drug dealers in the Caribbean as pressure increases on Venezuelan socialist dictator Nicolas Maduro. The President announced his next steps to combat drug trafficking and signed an executive order designating fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction. (RELATED: Rand Paul Says Trump Boat Strike was 'Prelude to War' with Venezuela)
In 2003, under the administration of former President George W. Bush, the United States invaded Iraq because Saddam Hussein was believed to have weapons of mass destruction. No weapons of mass destruction were discovered during the war.
“But there is no doubt that America's adversaries are bringing fentanyl into the United States, in part because they want to kill Americans. [were] a war that could have been one of the worst wars, I believe they've killed between 200 and 300,000 people a year in the last five or six years. You hear about 100,000 people, which is a lot, but the number is much higher. It's been proven and they've destroyed a lot of families because when they lose a child or even if their child is severely addicted, you lose that family, the family will never be the same,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.
“That's why today I'm taking another step to protect Americans from the deadly flood of fentanyl into our country with this historic executive order that I will sign today. We formally classify fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction, and that's what it is. No bomb does what it does. Between two hundred and 300,000 people die every year. This we know. So, we formally classify fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction,” he added.
Following this announcement, some in the media began to link it to the now poorly perceived Iraq War.
“I've said before that fentanyl will be this generation's 'weapon of mass destruction' to justify a war in Venezuela when there isn't even one,” Sarah Higdon, Post Millennial reporter, published on X. “But now tell me how it works? Fentanyl is a schedule 2 drug, every hospital in America has it, and we produce millions of grams every year… also calling it a WMD doesn't make sense when every drug is overdosing on itself…”
George WMD Bush
— Jim Antle (@jimantle) December 15, 2025
If this is truly a “critical step,” then why didn't Trump do it in his first term and why did he wait 11 months this year?
I'm guessing this will poll well, but I don't see how it will have any effect. Federal law defines what weapons of mass destruction are. Definitely no fentanyl… https://t.co/ZHKWZw9ujX
— Ed Whelan (@EdWhelanEPPC) December 15, 2025
Previous foreign policy analysts suggested The Daily Caller reported that the president is stoking conflict abroad to potentially pave the way for regime change in Venezuela. Trump has previously denied that regime change is target.
On November 17, the President spoke about growing conflict abroad. He said reporters that he is not ruling out “nothing” when it comes to negotiations with Venezuela and the potential deployment of ground troops.
“The two cartels that are primarily responsible for the distribution of fentanyl in the United States are engaged in an armed conflict over territory and to protect their operations, resulting in widespread violence and deaths that go beyond the immediate threat of fentanyl itself,” Trump said. decree reads. “Additionally, the potential for fentanyl to be used as a weapon in concentrated, large-scale terrorist attacks by organized adversaries poses a serious threat to the United States.”
As attention to the conflict abroad has increased, Trump received some pushback from supporters who want him to focus more on domestic issues rather than external ones.
“So… wait. Some people would say don't focus on anything outside our border. I like that too. But I've made trillions and trillions of dollars, solved problems and solved wars,” Trump said in response to concerns during an interview with Politico.
“Did you know that most of the wars I've decided have been decided sitting behind the Oval Office desk on the phone? I think those are worthwhile phone calls. Even if they didn't help us save millions of lives in another country, and if I can do it easily because I have those abilities, that's pretty good,” he added.
