Trump signs bill making tough sentences for fentanyl trafficking permanent
USA Today23 hrs
Trump Signs HALT Fentanyl Act, Toughening Drug Penalties
Above: US President Donald Trump embraces Anne Fundner, whose son died of a fentanyl overdose on July 16, 2025. Image copyright: Al Drago/Bloomberg/Getty Images
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
This law is a key win in the fight against fentanyl traffickers and drug cartels exploiting legal loopholes. Making fentanyl a permanent Schedule I drug gives law enforcement consistent tools to act. Along with Trump’s border security moves and labeling cartels as terrorists, it forms a tough, comprehensive response to a deadly national crisis.
Establishment-critical narrative
While the bill has bipartisan support, it revives failed “tough on crime” policies that emphasize punishment over treatment. It could worsen racial disparities, hitting Black communities hardest, and fail to tackle the root causes of addiction or boost treatment funding. Public health experts argue it ignores proven strategies like harm reduction.