U.S. President Donald Trump on the 15th (local time) designated fentanyl, a new synthetic drug that has flowed into the United States in large quantities, as a "weapon of mass destruction" (WMD).
According to Bloomberg News, Trump said at an event at the White House that day, "We are officially classifying fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction," adding, "Fentanyl is, in fact, a weapon of mass destruction."
The White House then published on its website that day Trump's executive order designating fentanyl and key precursors as weapons of mass destruction.
Through its website, the White House said, "Illegal fentanyl is closer to a chemical weapon than a narcotic drug and has taken the lives of hundreds of thousands of Americans," adding, "The possibility that fentanyl could be weaponized by organized hostile actors for concentrated, large-scale terrorist attacks is a serious threat to the United States."
Regarding the designation of fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction, Trump said it was "a step further to protect Americans from the disaster of deadly fentanyl pouring in." He was known to have considered such a measure during his first term as well.
The Trump administration, under the pretext of blocking the inflow of fentanyl, has recently waged a "war on drugs," including striking a Venezuelan-flagged "drug smuggling vessel" in September. Bloomberg reported that this move is seen as intended to justify such operations.
Seemingly mindful of criticism surrounding the attack on the Venezuelan drug vessel, Trump said, "We are designating drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, which is a very significant step from legal and military perspectives," adding, "We have ended the 'catch and release' policy."