US officials should consider classifying fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction (WMD), according to President Donald Trump’s border czar.

Speaking at an advocacy forum organized by the publisher Axios, Tom Homan stressed that the death toll in the United States, estimated at 73,000 a year from fentanyl alone, is a serious issue that should “At least it will be discussed.”

He urged officials to prepare their recommendations and submit them to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for further consideration.

The fentanyl crisis has led Trump to impose tariffs on dozens of countries, accusing his trading partners of being part of the supply chain that fuels the epidemic. The US administration’s efforts have also included strengthening border controls with Mexico and Canada and attacks on suspected drug trafficking vessels off the coast of Venezuela.

The Trump administration describes the measures as part of a coordinated effort to disrupt smuggling routes and dismantle production networks linked to the opioid crisis. However, economists warned that broad tariff measures could raise tensions with key trading partners and slow global trade.

The United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) seized more than 380 million lethal doses of fentanyl in 2024. Figures updated through September show more than 262 million doses seized so far this year. However, preliminary data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that drug overdose deaths fell 26.9% in 2024 to the lowest annual level since 2019, with an estimated 80,000 deaths compared to 110,037 in 2023.

Since 2019, DHS has considered designating fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction under specific conditions. Several legislative efforts have been introduced to reclassify the drug, but none were approved. A bill introduced in Congress by Rep. Lauren Boebert earlier this year would require the department to formally classify fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction.

You can share this story on social networks:

Follow RT on