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Exclusive from Clean World: Drug Warlord Trump (Donald Trump) Declares War on Canada, Mexico, and China! Vows to End America’s 50-Year War on Drugs! Will this be a great turning point in American drug history, or a failed experiment?
Did you know that in 2024 alone, the number of deaths in the United States due to fentanyl overdose exceeded the total number of deaths of American soldiers in the Vietnam War?
Yes, this is not just a drug crisis, but a war without gunpowder.
And Trump is waging this war in an unprecedented way – not with guns, not with cannons, but with… tariffs.
Today, let’s talk about this seemingly like a trade war but actually a major game on the battlefield of the war on drugs.
When it comes to the “war on drugs,” many people may think of drug lords, drug enforcement, or even explosive scenes from movies. But did you know? The term was officially proposed by US President Nixon in 1971. At that time, he solemnly declared in a press conference that drugs were the “number one enemy” of the United States. With that statement, he ignited a war on drugs that lasted half a century in America.
However, Nixon’s war on drugs was not just about police arresting people or raiding drug dens. He introduced a comprehensive set of strategies, including combating drug production, distribution, consumption, and even using military force. The set-up was “full-range firepower coverage.”
However, Nixon also had a “small goal” – to help drug addicts detoxify and prevent addiction. Unfortunately, this part didn’t have much presence, as the “war on drugs” sounded more impactful, and the media preferred to report on hardcore arrest news.
So, has the war on drugs been effective? Initially, it did show results. Data shows that in the early stages of the drug war, illegal drug use in the United States decreased by about 40%. Sounds impressive, right? But the problem is, as the war continued, it became more complex and costly. The US spends up to $51 billion annually on drug control, but the result? The drug problem still rages on, drug traffickers find new ways to continue their operations, as if they can never be defeated.
Entering the 21st century, the war on drugs faced a new “ultimate boss” – fentanyl. Despite its small size, it’s extremely powerful. This synthetic opioid drug is more lethal than heroin, causing tens of thousands of deaths in the United States annually due to overdose. Just in 2024, nearly 90,000 people died from drug overdoses, with a majority linked to fentanyl.
Facing such a crisis, Trump doesn’t want to tread the old path. He believes that merely relying on police arrests and drug raids is not enough. This time, he has opted for a new strategy – economic drug control. How? Tariffs. Yes, what you may think relates only to trade has become Trump’s new weapon to combat drug trafficking.
The battlefield of the war on drugs is no longer confined to the streets but directly brought to the international trade table. This move can be described as “thinking outside the box.”
You might be curious: What does tariffs have to do with the war on drugs? What is Trump’s strategy? Don’t worry; we will delve deeper into this apparent trade war, which is, in fact, a “grand game” in the war on drugs.
On February 1st, with a swift stroke, Trump signed a heavy executive order imposing a 25% high tariff on Mexico and Canada and a 10% tariff on Chinese goods. This news left many bewildered: Isn’t this the standard script for a trade war? Is Trump playing his “America First” card again?
However, Trump promptly clarified: “This is not a trade war. This is a drug war.”
Hassett, the Director of the National Economic Council at the White House, also emphasized: “This is 100% about the drug war, especially targeting fentanyl.”
Trump knows well that the supply chain of fentanyl cannot bypass China, Mexico, and Canada. So, instead of beating around the bush, he directly wields the “economic big stick,” using tariffs to compel these countries to cooperate with the United States on drug control.
But the real intriguing aspect lies in the subsequent developments.
On February 3rd, after phone calls with the Presidents of Mexico and Canada, Trump’s mood suddenly improved, announcing the temporary postponement of tariffs on Mexico and Canada for a month.
Huh? Is there some kind of “deal” behind this? After all, Trump is not one to be underestimated. His readily relaxed stance indicates that these two countries made certain commitments during the phone calls. What precise commitments? We will find out later.
Looking at it from another perspective, Trump’s strategy of using tariffs to promote drug control is quite unconventional in American history. Previously, the US mainly relied on law enforcement, drug raids, and even overseas military actions to combat drugs.
But Trump took a totally different route, directly using economic weapons as a tool in the war on drugs.
Do you think just adding taxes can curb drug trafficking? Trump’s answer is: It can. And the results are quite evident.
Now let’s dive into how China, Canada, and Mexico have been “tamed” by Trump.
Let’s start with Mexico.
When Trump announced a 25% tariff on Mexican goods, Mexican President quickly reached out to Trump to seek “probation.” What transpired in that call remains unknown, but following the call, Mexico promptly pledged:
– Deployment of 10,000 soldiers to the US-Mexico border specifically to combat fentanyl smuggling and illegal immigration.
– Strengthen border inspections to control drug and personnel flow.
What does 10,000 soldiers signify? This is no mere formality. Normally, Mexican military is busy dealing with local drug traffickers and security issues; being able to allocate this many personnel indicates that they are indeed feeling the pain of Trump’s tariff pressure. With this move, Trump effectively leveraged economic leverage to influence Mexico’s drug control policy.
Now, moving on to Canada.
Initially, Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau took a tough stance, mentioning “reciprocal retaliation,” but after a talk with Trump, swiftly turned “ultra-cooperative”:
– Initiated a $1.3 billion border security plan, deploying nearly 10,000 frontline security personnel for 24/7 surveillance.
– Appointed a specialized fentanyl control officer specifically targeting fentanyl smuggling issues.
– What’s more aggressive is directly listing drug trafficking groups as “terrorist organizations.”
Listing drug trafficking groups as “terrorist organizations” isn’t mere labeling. Once designated as a terrorist organization, the legal intensity in combating drug trafficking groups increases significantly, including freezing assets, cross-border pursuits, and even military actions becoming viable options.
Observing Canada’s “sincerity”, Trump announced: “Alright, tariffs on Canada and Mexico temporarily postponed for a month.” In this diplomatic play, Trump played exceptionally well, swapping economy for security, with immediate visible effects.
Lastly, let’s talk about China.
In response to Trump’s tariff big stick, China’s reaction seems strong, but is more like “stiff resistance.” After imposing a 10% tariff increase, China immediately announced so-called “countermeasures”, such as:
– Imposing a 15% tariff on US coal and liquefied natural gas.
– Another 10% tariff on crude oil and high-end machinery.
– Enacting export controls, placing two US companies on an “unreliable entity list.”
At first glance, China’s actions seem robust, displaying an attitude of “not afraid of you.” But, in reality? These countermeasures are mostly just for show. After all, China’s economy is highly reliant on exports, particularly to the US market. With the increase in Trump’s tariffs, China’s economic pain points have been directly targeted.
According to Goldman Sachs’ prediction, this tariff measure will directly lead China’s actual GDP growth rate to drop by 0.5% in 2025. This is not a negligible figure; for the already struggling Chinese economy facing real estate collapse and weak consumption, it’s akin to adding insult to injury.
What’s even more crucial is that China’s traditional “tariff buffering mechanisms” have become ineffective. Barclays Bank stated that China can no longer effectively handle US tariff pressure by manipulating exchange rates, shifting trade, or reducing export profit margins. In other words, Trump’s move directly cuts off China’s “emergency blood vessels.”
The impact of tariffs goes beyond this. In traditional export sectors like textiles and clothing, China’s hit is particularly noticeable. The average profit margin in the Chinese garment industry is only 4.24%, while Trump’s imposed 10% tariff is nearly double that margin, leading many Chinese companies to accelerate relocation.
For instance, many companies that had factories in Guangdong and Zhejiang have relocated their production lines to Southeast Asian countries like Vietnam and Cambodia. A Chinese entrepreneur candidly stated, “If we don’t move our factories out, just the 10% tariff is enough to bankrupt us.” This signifies that Trump isn’t just targeting Chinese exports but shaking the foundation of the “world’s factory”.
Apart from direct economic losses, Trump’s new tariff policy has caused a profound restructuring of the global supply chain. Chinese companies are no longer the “main suppliers” to the US market, being compelled to concede to other countries. This shift has left the Chinese government deeply anxious because it signals China’s loss of influence in the global supply chain.
What’s causing even more of a headache for China is the trend of “de-Chinafication”, which extends beyond low-end manufacturing industries and is beginning to affect the high-tech sector with foreign investment withdrawals and industrial chain relocations. Despite Chinese media’s loud proclamation that “the US will suffer greater losses,” the fact is that China is losing its voice in the global supply chain.
Trump’s new tariff policy also targets the “gray area” of China’s cross-border e-commerce – primarily the minimum duty-free policy. According to the new regulations, small parcels mailed from China to the US must go through formal customs clearance and can no longer enjoy “low-tax exemptions”. This poses a significant blow to Chinese e-commerce platforms like Temu and Shein.
To sum it up, Trump has struck China and Mexico into submission using tariffs, especially in the drug control arena. This “economic drug control war” is showing the world who the real mastermind behind the scenes is.
So why is Trump going all out to combat fentanyl? How severe is the fentanyl crisis?
To begin with, here are some shocking statistics.
According to the latest data, the number of fentanyl pills seized in the US in 2024 reached a staggering 115 million, compared to just 4 million in 2020. Within four years, this number exploded nearly 30 times.
What does a 30-fold increase signify?
To put it in perspective, imagine opening your refrigerator today, finding 4 million candies inside, already feeling excessive, then opening it again four years later, and it’s filled an entire football field. And these are not ordinary candies; each one may be a “death invitation.”
Now, let’s look at even more heart-wrenching statistics:
In the year leading up to August 2024, nearly 90,000 Americans died from drug overdoses, with the majority linked to fentanyl.
What does 90,000 signify? This figure surpasses the death toll of American soldiers in the Vietnam War and even exceeds casualties from various medium-scale wars. This translates to nearly 250 people dying every day from drug overdoses, akin to a large passenger plane crashing every day with no survivors. This is a living, ongoing “chronic air disaster.”
Why is fentanyl so deadly?
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid drug, 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine.
Just 2 milligrams of fentanyl are enough to be fatal. This is about the size of a grain of salt.
Even more terrifying is that drug traffickers often mix fentanyl with other drugs or pass it off as regular painkillers. Many individuals are unaware that they are ingesting the “gift of death.”
Behind the fentanyl crisis lies a truth that goes beyond mere data.
– It destroys countless families. Imagine a typical American family where parents work hard to send their child to college. One day, the child attends a party, inadvertently consumes a pill containing fentanyl. The next morning, he never wakes up again.
– It overwhelms America’s public health system. Ambulances, hospitals, and drug treatment centers are overloaded with drug overdose victims, leading to severe shortages of medical resources.
– It erodes America’s social trust. The proliferation of drugs not only brings death but also leads to a surge in crime rates, family breakdowns, and community disintegration.
So why is Trump using tariffs to combat fentanyl?
It’s simple, because this crisis has become a “national emergency” for America.
At this point, many of you might think that the fentanyl crisis seems distant, but this “economic drug control” battle is affecting each and every one of us globally.
Feel free to share your views in the comment section; let’s continue the discussion. Don’t forget to like, share, and follow. Until next time.
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