Trump signs order declaring illicit fentanyl a 'weapon of mass destruction,' citing national-security risks

"As President of the United States, my highest duty is the defense of the country and its citizens," the order states. 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. 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.