By the power vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I hereby issue the following directive:
Section 1. Purpose and Policy
Illicit fentanyl has evolved from being merely a narcotic to a potential chemical weapon. A mere two milligrams—roughly equivalent to 10 to 15 grains of table salt—can prove fatal. The grim reality is that hundreds of thousands of Americans have succumbed to fentanyl overdoses.
The production and distribution of this substance, predominantly orchestrated by organized crime syndicates, pose a significant threat to our national security and exacerbate lawlessness within our borders and beyond. The financial lifeblood of Foreign Terrorist Organizations and drug cartels is often derived from fentanyl trafficking, which in turn supports their operations that include assassinations, terrorist acts, and insurgencies worldwide. The violent territorial disputes between two major cartels over fentanyl distribution not only perpetuate chaos but also result in widespread violence that extends far beyond the fentanyl crisis itself. Furthermore, the alarming possibility of fentanyl being weaponized for large-scale terror attacks is a pressing threat to the safety of the United States.
As your President, my foremost responsibility is to safeguard our nation and its citizens. Thus, I hereby classify illicit fentanyl and its core precursor chemicals as Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD).
Sec. 2. Implementation
The heads of relevant executive departments and agencies shall take the necessary measures to enforce this directive and mitigate the threat posed by illicit fentanyl and its essential precursor chemicals. This includes the following actions:
(a) The Attorney General shall promptly initiate investigations and prosecutions related to fentanyl trafficking, utilizing criminal charges, sentencing enhancements, and variances as deemed appropriate;
(b) The Secretary of State and the Secretary of the Treasury are to take suitable actions against all relevant assets and financial institutions that are involved in or support the manufacture, distribution, and sale of illicit fentanyl and its precursor chemicals;
(c) The Secretary of War, alongside the Attorney General, shall assess whether the threats posed by illicit fentanyl justify reallocating resources from the Department of War to the Department of Justice to bolster the enforcement of Title 18 of the United States Code, as consistent with 10 U.S.C. 282;
(d) The Secretary of War, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security, shall revise all directives concerning the Armed Forces’ response to chemical incidents on U.S. soil to include the threat of illicit fentanyl;
(e) To ensure that the United States employs a comprehensive array of counter-fentanyl strategies, the Secretary of Homeland Security, in line with applicable law and in coordination with relevant agency heads, shall identify threat networks associated with fentanyl smuggling, utilizing WMD- and nonproliferation-related threat intelligence to facilitate an extensive counter-fentanyl operation.
Sec. 3. Definitions
(a) “Illicit fentanyl” refers to fentanyl that is manufactured, distributed, or possessed with intent to manufacture, distribute, or dispense in violation of sections 401 and 406 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 841, 846);
(b) “Core precursor chemicals” are the essential chemicals used in the synthesis of illicit fentanyl and its analogues, including substances like Piperidone or other Piperidone-based compounds.
Sec. 4. General Provisions
(a) Nothing in this order should be interpreted as diminishing or otherwise affecting:
(i) the authority granted by law to any executive department or agency, or their heads; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget in relation to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be enacted in accordance with applicable law and contingent upon the availability of appropriations.
(c) This order does not intend to, nor does it create, any enforceable rights or benefits, substantive or procedural, for any individual or entity against the United States, its departments, agencies, officers, employees, or agents.
(d) The costs associated with the publication of this order shall be covered by the Department of Justice.
DONALD J. TRUMP
THE WHITE HOUSE,
December 15, 2025.
