Trump touts 22% drop in fentanyl deaths, credits border crackdown
Trump shares a Fox News report crediting his border and counter-narcotics policies for a decline in synthetic opioid deaths from 48,913 to 38,084.
WASHINGTON D.C. — Donald Trump shared a Fox News report crediting his administration’s border and counter-narcotics crackdown for a 22% drop in fentanyl-linked deaths in a single year.
Here is the full post on truthsocial: “EXCLUSIVE: Fentanyl deaths plunge 22% as Trump White House touts crackdown on deadly drug crisis: https://www.foxnews.com/politics/exclusive-fentanyl-deaths-plunge-22-trump-white-house-touts-crackdown-deadly-drug-crisis” on August 21, 2026 at 5:13 PM ET.
This is Trump’s 32nd message released today, out of 33 total, and the last post was zero minutes ago, and it is not part of a thread. On average, Trump produces 18 posts per day since his inauguration on January 20, 2025. The move fits a broader pattern in Trump’s recent messaging, with 54 of his 573 posts over the last 30 days classified as Domestic Policy posts.
President Donald J. Trump touts a 22% drop in fentanyl deaths in Washington D.C.
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Synthetic opioid deaths, which include fentanyl, fell from 48,913 in 2024 to 38,084 in 2025, a decline of more than 10,000 deaths, according to foxnews. Total drug overdose deaths fell 14% during the same period, from 81,313 to 69,973, according to foxnews.
The White House credited its border crackdown, campaign against drug cartels and arrests of convicted fentanyl traffickers for helping drive down the toll, according to foxnews. It provided the figures to Fox News in honor of National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day. Trump signed the HALT Fentanyl Act into law in July 2025, permanently placing fentanyl-related substances under Schedule I, according to foxnews. The link Trump shared was reported by Fox News, which he cited by mentioning the source (see foxnews).
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