This week, senior officials from President Donald Trump’s administration identified what they now consider one of the most pressing national security threats facing the United States—fentanyl and the international drug networks responsible for smuggling it into the country. During a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing, top figures in the administration issued a sobering warning about the rising impact of synthetic opioids. Among them was Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who stated that in the 12 months leading up to October 2024, drug cartels were directly linked to the deaths of more than 54,000 Americans due to fentanyl-related overdoses. This staggering…
