Trump Policies Credited as Critics Mock Washington Post’s “Mystery” Over Fentanyl Decline

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Trump Policies Credited as Critics Mock Washington Post’s “Mystery” Over Fentanyl Decline

 

The Washington Post is under fire from conservative circles and even the White House after publishing an article expressing confusion over a sharp decline in fentanyl trafficking across the southern U.S. border. Describing the drop as a “mystery,” the Post's framing has sparked widespread mockery, with critics accusing the liberal-leaning outlet of downplaying the effectiveness of the Trump administration’s border security measures.

 

Fentanyl, a potent synthetic opioid responsible for tens of thousands of deaths annually in the U.S., is often smuggled in by drug cartels through both southern and northern border points. In 2024, the CDC linked fentanyl to 48,422 deaths nationwide, underscoring its lethal impact on American communities.

 

As a central promise during his campaign, President Trump vowed to dismantle fentanyl trafficking networks by tightening border security and addressing illegal immigration. Since assuming office, he has mobilized U.S. troops to the southern border, designated drug cartels as “foreign terrorist organizations,” and imposed sanctions on cartel leaders in an effort to disrupt their operations.

 

 

Recent statistics released by the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) suggest that these actions may be yielding results. According to the CIS, law enforcement seizures of fentanyl—a key indicator of broader smuggling activity—have decreased by 50% since the November election. The Washington Post acknowledged a similar trend, noting that seizures have dropped nearly 30% compared to the same period in 2024.

 

However, the Post's interpretation of this decline puzzled many. “After years of confiscating rising amounts of fentanyl, the opioid that has fueled the most lethal drug epidemic in American history, U.S. officials are confronting a new and puzzling reality at the Mexican border. Fentanyl seizures are plummeting,” the article stated, referring to the trend as “something of a mystery.”

 

The article speculated on several possible explanations, including internal cartel disruptions, alternative trafficking routes, raw material shortages, and even a potential dip in user demand. It also raised concerns that Trump’s budget cuts could jeopardize public health programs for addiction treatment and overdose reversal.

 

The piece was met with derision from conservatives, who viewed the “mystery” framing as an unwillingness to credit the Trump administration. Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-Wis.) wrote on X, “The Washington Post is reporting a ‘mysterious drop’ in fentanyl seizures at the southern border. Mystery solved! The Trump effect is working.”

 

Conservative commentator Charlie Kirk was more scathing, posting, “Four months into the Trump administration, The Washington Post is marveling at the ‘mysterious’ drop in fentanyl seizures on the Mexican border … Is the Post simply lying, or are their reporters as dumb as the people they’re writing propaganda for?”

 

Even the Department of Homeland Security chimed in, replying via its official X account, “It’s no mystery. On day one, [President] Trump closed our borders to drug traffickers.” The department cited a 54% reduction in fentanyl trafficking at the southern border from March 2024 to March 2025, adding, “The world has heard the message loud and clear.”

 

White House officials also responded with blunt remarks. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt labeled the Post “pathetic,” while Communications Director Steven Cheung remarked, “They can’t stand that President Trump’s strong border policies have led to a DECREASE in fentanyl coming into the U.S.”

 

Abigail Jackson, another spokesperson, reinforced this stance during an interview with Fox News Digital. “The drop in fentanyl seizures at the border is only a mystery to Washington Post,” she said. “As of March, fentanyl traffic at the Southern Border had fallen by more than half from the same time last year – while Joe Biden’s open border was still terrorizing America. Everyone else knows the simple truth: President Trump closed our border to illegal drug traffickers and Americans are safer because of it.”

 

As of now, The Washington Post has not responded to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from NYP  2025-06-05

 

 

[EVENKEEL]

Amazing what can be done without that big border bill folks still talk about. Securing the border wasn't rocket science but the dems couldn't even come close.

[Mike_Hunt]

2 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

Amazing what can be done without that big border bill folks still talk about. Securing the border wasn't rocket science but the dems couldn't even come close.

The dems do favor the non citizen over the citizen. 

[Gsxrnz]

The WP is pulling the "correlation doesn't equate to causation" trick.

 

I mean, you can probably aptly apply this theory to the seasonal increase in the sales of ice-cream not causing a seasonal increase in the number of shark attacks.

 

But if a bloke says he is going to hit the nail with a hammer and the nail is suddenly imbedded in the wood, it's reasonable to assume the bloke hit the nail with the hammer - as opposed to the nail mysteriously imbedding itself for no particular reason.

 

But then again, cognitive dissonance absolves the sufferer from the sins of truth and logic. 

 

 

 

 

[thaipo7]

Where is Tug on this one.  He is sleeping, I guess.  No malfeasance here from Biden either.  Damn, he was the best.

[JonnyF]

2 hours ago, EVENKEEL said:

Amazing what can be done without that big border bill folks still talk about. Securing the border wasn't rocket science but the dems couldn't even come close.

 

Every success under Trump will be a "Mystery" as far as the left are concerned.

 

They are too far gone. Utterly clueless and bereft of a moral compass. 

 

 

[Paul Henry]

Forty eight thousand deaths in the US from fentanyl will be nothing compared to the number that will die in the US from Trumps plan to cut,cut ,cut.He is already responsible for numerous deaths in the US as well as  drought and impoverished countries.Never mind as long as he and his family are increasing their wealth he will not care! Good to see the GOP is starting to worry.

[FlorC]

2 hours ago, EVENKEEL said:

Amazing what can be done without that big border bill folks still talk about. Securing the border wasn't rocket science but the dems couldn't even come close.

No they didn't want to.

Biden said when he started his (illegitimate) term : surge the borders.

He started selling the construction materials to make the borderwall.

[Eric Loh]

1 hour ago, Paul Henry said:

Forty eight thousand deaths in the US from fentanyl will be nothing compared to the number that will die in the US from Trumps plan to cut,cut ,cut.He is already responsible for numerous deaths in the US as well as  drought and impoverished countries.Never mind as long as he and his family are increasing their wealth he will not care! Good to see the GOP is starting to worry.

Absolutely correct. Fentanyl deaths have been plunging in the Biden's tenure due to investments in public health programs. Now with Trump's cuts in spending and reduction of federal workforce, it will reverse this fragile progress. Government drug researchers have been sacked and outreach centers that distribute doses of lifesaving overdose medication have been closed. Trump is tone deaf to the issues of the people on the streets as long he can continue with his blatant grifting. 

[Thingamabob]

Rule number one in the MSM, under no circumstances may any successes be attributed to the Trump administration.

[Mike_Hunt]

7 hours ago, Paul Henry said:

Forty eight thousand deaths in the US from fentanyl will be nothing compared to the number that will die in the US from Trumps plan to cut,cut ,cut.He is already responsible for numerous deaths in the US as well as  drought and impoverished countries.Never mind as long as he and his family are increasing their wealth he will not care! Good to see the GOP is starting to worry.

 

The US needs to cut, cut, cut you idiot. 

[Mike_Hunt]

5 hours ago, Eric Loh said:

Absolutely correct. Fentanyl deaths have been plunging in the Biden's tenure due to investments in public health programs. Now with Trump's cuts in spending and reduction of federal workforce, it will reverse this fragile progress. Government drug researchers have been sacked and outreach centers that distribute doses of lifesaving overdose medication have been closed. Trump is tone deaf to the issues of the people on the streets as long he can continue with his blatant grifting. 

 

The lefts doomsday's talk is never true in the end. 

[zig]

All these drug seizure statistics are publicly available. The curious fact though is that the fentanyl border seizures started reducing significantly since November 2024, i.e. few months before Trump took office 😄

You can filter the data in the below site by the type of drug and the region and see the graph.

 

https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/stats/drug-seizure-statistics

[rickudon]

Alternatively, maybe with so many migrants to round up and deport, security personnel are to busy to look for drugs.....

[Paul Henry]

Mike Hunt shows his true colours in his responce to my comments.

Weak insults,no positive comments and still shows he puts Trump's cuts ahead of human life.Not his of course only the weak and disadvantaged people.Even Musk is calling out Trump for his idiotic management style all action no thought.After bankrupting most of his business and most of the contractors who did work for him he now wants to bankrupt the USA.

[Paul Henry]

On reflection I should have agreed with Mike_Hunt.Yes TACO should cut,cut,cut starting with the 1 Billion dollars it is going to cost for his new toy.The Qatar 747.Followed  by the millons it is costing the taxpayer for his golf holidays (currently 25% of his time in office.) I could continue but I am sure as a loyal TACO follower

Mike could add to my list of cuts that do not effect the needy or disadvantaged.Trump has said on many occasions he "likes the uneducated supporters." Mike keep supporting Trump until the end and then I suggest you start school.

[radiochaser]

On 6/4/2025 at 7:04 PM, EVENKEEL said:

Amazing what can be done without that big border bill folks still talk about. Securing the border wasn't rocket science but the dems couldn't even come close.

 

Securing the border wasn't rocket science but the dems didn't want to come close.

 

I corrected your sentence for you.   

 

[frank83628]

Msm just cannot give Trump any credit whatsoever, I see nothing about lower prices for groceries, inflation down, border crossing down 97%, job growth, stock market back up, fair tariff deal with the UK,

... nada

 

These threads on AN show this too, 98% anti Trump screetching frothy negativity, no mention here of achievements above, even cnn gave him credit for low inflation.... but never from the AN derangement posse.

 

[nauseus]

19 hours ago, zig said:

All these drug seizure statistics are publicly available. The curious fact though is that the fentanyl border seizures started reducing significantly since November 2024, i.e. few months before Trump took office 😄

You can filter the data in the below site by the type of drug and the region and see the graph.

 

https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/stats/drug-seizure-statistics

 

Election campaign. The Dems knew they were in trouble by mid year at the latest.