U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Monday that he will sign an executive order classifying fentanyl as a “weapon of mass destruction” as part of his ongoing campaign against drug smuggling.
Speaking at the White House on Monday during a ceremony presenting medals to U.S. troops who have patrolled the Mexico–U.S. border, Trump said, “With this historic executive order I will sign today, we are formally classifying fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction, which is what it is.”
Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, is highly potent and can be lethal in extremely small doses. While it has legitimate medical uses for pain management, illicit fentanyl has been a major driver of the U.S. overdose crisis, claiming nearly 330,000 American lives over the five years ending in April 2025.
The classification could lead to stiffer criminal charges for those involved in trafficking fentanyl, though Trump did not specify immediate legal changes.
Earlier in October, Trump met with Chinese President Xi Jinping, who agreed to take steps to limit the illegal export of fentanyl from China, which is the primary source of illicit fentanyl entering the U.S. This followed similar commitments made during Trump’s first term and by the previous president, Joe Biden.
The move reflects growing concern in the U.S. about fentanyl’s impact on public health and national security, framing the crisis as both a law enforcement and a strategic threat.
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The U.S. military announced that it has completed a new wave of strikes against Iranian military targets under U.S. President Donald Trump's orders. The operation targeted command centres, air defence systems, missile and drone facilities, and coastal surveillance sites across multiple locations.
The German broadcaster says energy, trade, transport and regional stability are transforming relations between Baku and Berlin.
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A Russian Soyuz spacecraft carrying two Russian cosmonauts and one U.S. astronaut successfully docked with the International Space Station (ISS) on Tuesday, highlighting continued U.S.-Russian cooperation in space despite wider geopolitical tensions.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced the reimposition of a U.S. naval blockade on all Iranian ports and warned that power plants and bridges could be targeted next week unless Tehran returns to negotiations.
The United States carried out a third consecutive night of airstrikes against Iran, targeting military capabilities around the Strait of Hormuz as Donald Trump announced the reinstatement of a blockade on Iranian shipping and proposed a 20% fee on cargo passing through the strategic waterway.
The U.S. military announced that it has completed a new wave of strikes against Iranian military targets under U.S. President Donald Trump's orders. The operation targeted command centres, air defence systems, missile and drone facilities, and coastal surveillance sites across multiple locations.
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Ukraine and Russia exchanged fresh attacks on Tuesday, with Kyiv targeting shipping and energy infrastructure inside Russia while Moscow launched another large-scale missile and drone assault on Ukrainian cities.
The Trump administration is pressing ahead with new immigration rules that will impose fixed time limits on visas for foreign students, cultural exchange visitors and journalists, tightening requirements for thousands of people who study and work in the U.S.
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