‘Weapon of mass destruction’

The order authorises the Pentagon to support law enforcement and allows intelligence agencies to use tools normally reserved for combating weapons proliferation against drug traffickers.

“We’re formally classifying fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction, which is what it is,” Trump said at a White House event for servicemembers helping police the US southern border with Mexico. “They’re trying to drug out our country.”

The executive order adds: “Illicit fentanyl is closer to a chemical weapon than a narcotic.”

Earlier this year, Trump designated drug cartels as foreign terrorist organisations, opening the way for military operations against them. Since early September, the administration has carried out over 20 strikes on suspected drug vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific, killing more than 80 people, Reuters said.

Legal experts have questioned whether these strikes are lawful. Reports provide little evidence that the vessels were carrying drugs or that lethal force was necessary instead of stopping the boats, seizing their cargo and questioning those on board.

How public responded

A Reuters/Ipsos poll published on Wednesday found that many Americans oppose the military campaign against the vessels, including about 20% of Republicans who support Trump.

Trump has also threatened military strikes on land in Venezuela, Colombia and Mexico to combat drug trafficking. A recent strategy document from his administration emphasises that US foreign policy will focus on maintaining influence in the Western Hemisphere.

Most of the fentanyl entering the US comes from Mexico, with many chemicals used in its production sourced from China. The opioid remains a leading cause of overdose deaths in the United States.