U.S. border czar Tom Homan said Wednesday (22 October) that illicit fentanyl should at least be discussed as a weapon of mass destruction (WMD).
Speaking at Axios’ Future of Defense Summit, Homan highlighted the drug’s deadly toll, citing around 73,000 U.S. deaths annually, a figure he said was even higher during the Biden administration.
Homan recalled attending a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) briefing six months ago on classifying fentanyl as a WMD.
“When I left that briefing, it was my understanding they would push that recommendation up to the Secretary, but I’ve been out of it ever since.”
He also criticised drug manufacturers.
“They’re really trying to make money on their customers, and we’re not going to do that by killing them, right?”
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) seized more than 380 million lethal doses of fentanyl in 2024, with 2025 seizures totalling more than 262 million doses as of late September. Preliminary CDC data shows overdose deaths in 2024 fell 26.9% from 2023, the lowest annual level since 2019.
The DHS has considered labelling fentanyl a WMD since 2019, but legislative efforts have failed. This year, Rep. Lauren Boebert introduced the Fentanyl is a Weapon of Mass Destruction Act, directing DHS’ Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office to officially classify the drug as a WMD.
At least 10 people have been killed in Israeli strikes on Lebanon, Beirut's state news agency has said. The wave of attacks come despite a ceasefire ...
A magnitude 5.8 earthquake struck southwest of Greece’s island of Crete on Saturday, with no immediate reports of damage....
One person has died after two freight trains collided on a bridge in Munich in the early hours of Saturday, causing two carriages to derail and crash ...
At least seven people were killed and several others injured after two roadside bombs exploded in quick succession in northwest Pakistan on Saturday ...
Paraguay kept their World Cup hopes alive with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Türkiye, but the celebrations were tempered by a costly red card for ve...
One person has died after two freight trains collided on a bridge in Munich in the early hours of Saturday, causing two carriages to derail and crash onto the street below, German police said.
At least seven people were killed and several others injured after two roadside bombs exploded in quick succession in northwest Pakistan on Saturday (20 June), according to local police.
Paraguay kept their World Cup hopes alive with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Türkiye, but the celebrations were tempered by a costly red card for veteran forward Miguel Almirón.
Türkiye's World Cup campaign came to a painful end on Friday as they suffered a 1-0 defeat to Paraguay despite dominating large parts of their Group D clash.
One person was killed and dozens injured after two passenger trains collided near Bedford in central England on Friday, prompting a major emergency response, British Transport Police said.
Morocco captain and PSG defender Achraf Hakimi will face trial in France after an appeals court ruled there was enough evidence for the case to proceed.
Israel and Hezbollah have agreed to a ceasefire, a senior U.S. official has said. Hezbollah has released a statement saying Israel must leave southern Lebanon. Israel has said it agrees to the ceasefire, but has said its armed forces won't leave Lebanon and will resume hostilities if attacked.
U.S. President Donald Trump sought a deal with Iran "out of deperation," Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has said, in a statement on social media. Khamenei added that he himself "held a different view," to Trump, but allowed the agreement after receiving assurances from Iran's President.
Paraguay kept their World Cup hopes alive with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Türkiye, but the celebrations were tempered by a costly red card for veteran forward Miguel Almirón.
The European Commission has announced €493 million in emergency support for the Ebola response, including funding for vaccines, treatment and health security measures.
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has welcomed an $800 million contribution from the U.S., saying the funding will strengthen humanitarian operations as global hunger continues to rise.
A Canadian mother has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and its chief executive Sam Altman, alleging that the company's ChatGPT chatbot encouraged her daughter's suicidal thoughts and failed to intervene before her death.
A U.S. doctor who contracted Ebola while on a humanitarian mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo has recovered and been discharged from a hospital in Germany, according to officials.
Protesters in Nanyuki blocked roads and burned tyres after residents challenged a U.S. plan to house Americans exposed to Ebola at a nearby military base.
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