This week, senior members of former President Donald Trump’s administration named fentanyl and foreign drug cartels as the most pressing national security threat facing the United States. The issue was brought to the forefront during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing.

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard emphasized the severity of the crisis in her opening remarks. She revealed that, in the year ending October 2024, synthetic opioids—primarily fentanyl—claimed the lives of over 54,000 Americans.

Gabbard pointed to international cartels as the primary source of these deadly drugs. She stated that these organizations are not only fueling addiction and death but also undermining U.S. national security by flooding communities with toxic substances.

The Trump-aligned officials urged lawmakers to take stronger action, calling for increased border enforcement and international cooperation to dismantle the networks responsible. They framed the fentanyl crisis not just as a public health issue but as an urgent matter of national defense.