Donald Trump recently signed an executive order designating illicit fentanyl and precursor chemicals as a weapon of mass destruction while explicitly excluding legally prescribed medical fentanyl and defining illicit fentanyl under the Controlled Substances Act.The order directs the Department of Defense and the Department of Justice to expand roles against production and distribution, authorizes Pentagon support to law enforcement and the use of U.S. intelligence tools, instructs Pam Bondi to bring charges and seek tougher penalties immediately, and calls for diplomatic consultations with suppliers tied by U.S. officials to U.S.-bound production.The designation accompanied U.S. strikes on suspected smuggling vessels that have killed at least ninety-five people since early September, prompted classified briefings to Congress that lawmakers described as unsatisfying, and drew criticism from legal, public health and civil liberties experts who warned it could prompt legal challenges and shift resources away from prevention and treatment.