‘They want to kill Americans’: Trump to label fentanyl 'weapon of mass destruction'; blames US adversaries for trafficking

US President Donald Trump announced Monday (local time) his plan to classify fentanyl as a "weapon of mass destruction" to strengthen his campaign against drug smuggling.

Trump made this announcement in the Oval Office while presenting medals to US troops who patrolled the US-Mexican border.


"There's no doubt that America's adversaries are trafficking fentanyl into the United States in part because they want to kill Americans. If this were a war, that would be one of the worst wars," Trump said.

The president drew parallels between current fentanyl smuggling and historical events. Fentanyl has claimed nearly 330,000 American lives in the five-year period ending in April.

"You can look throughout history. Look at China, when they were loaded up with drugs, they were suffering greatly, and others were able to take them over. And other countries also, they're trying to drug out our country," Trump said.

The specific implications of the new classification were not immediately detailed, though it could lead to harsher criminal penalties for traffickers.

Trump acknowledged that fentanyl, which can be lethal in small doses, has legitimate medical uses. The drug is commonly smuggled through the Mexican border or international mail and shipping systems.

The announcement follows Trump's October meeting with Xi Jinping, who made commitments to combat fentanyl trafficking. Xi had previously made similar promises to Trump during his first term and to President Joe Biden.