Trump Designates Fentanyl as Weapon of Mass Destruction
The president’s executive order was issued during a ceremony honoring military members for helping secure the border.
President Donald Trump signs an executive order classifying fentanyl as a "weapon of mass destruction," during a ceremony for the presentation of the Mexican Border Defense Medal in the Oval Office of the White House on Dec. 15, 2025. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
President Donald Trump signed an executive order designating fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction during an award ceremony honoring 13 military service members with the Mexican Border Defense Medal.
With the ceremony honoring military border security efforts as a backdrop, Trump doubled down on his campaign to secure the southern border and stop the flow of fentanyl into the country.
Darlene McCormick Sanchez
Senior Reporter
Darlene McCormick Sanchez is an Epoch Times reporter who covers border security and immigration, election integrity, and Texas politics.
Ms. McCormick Sanchez has 20 years of experience in media and has worked for outlets including Waco Tribune Herald, Tampa Tribune, and Waterbury Republican-American. She was a finalist for a Pulitzer prize for investigative reporting.
