News|Donald TrumpTrump signs executive order labeling fentanyl ‘weapon of mass destruction’Label is the latest instance of Trump using militarised, symbolic language to justify US operations against drug smuggling.

Washington, DC – The United States administration, under President Donald Trump, has announced plans to sign an executive order categorizing fentanyl and its precursors as a "weapon of mass destruction" (WMD). This action is part of ongoing efforts against drug cartels and smugglers.

The executive order mandates a series of actions by executive agencies to "eliminate the threat of illicit fentanyl and its core precursor chemicals to the United States." The precise impact of this designation on legally acquired fentanyl for medical purposes remains uncertain.

Under current U.S. law, a weapon of mass destruction is defined as any weapon intended to cause death or serious bodily injury through toxic or poisonous chemicals, or their precursors. This includes biological agents, toxins, vectors, and devices designed to release dangerous levels of radiation or radioactivity. Traditional bombs and missiles are also encompassed within this definition.

The Trump administration has leveraged efforts to combat fentanyl smuggling as justification for increased tariffs on Mexico and China. Additionally, the campaign against drugs has been cited to support military actions, such as strikes on alleged drug smuggling vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, and increased military presence off Venezuela's coast.

Despite assertions of fentanyl smuggling from Venezuela, experts assert the country is not a known hub for fentanyl production or export. John Walsh, a drug policy director at the Washington Office on Latin America, confirmed that no fentanyl originates from Venezuela or South America. The pressure campaign against Venezuela has been compared to the prelude to the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq.

Based on reporting by Al Jazeera.