U.S. President Donald Trump named 23 countries, including India, Pakistan, China, and Afghanistan, as major players in the global drug trade in his recent address. According to him, the production and trafficking of illegal drugs, along with the chemicals used to make them, directly threaten the safety of the United States and its citizens.
The list, known as the “Major’s List” in Washington, highlights nations that are either primary sources of drugs or critical transit hubs for narcotics moving into the U.S. The countries named include:
Afghanistan, The Bahamas, Belize, Bolivia, Burma, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Laos, Mexico, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela.
Nations Accused of Failing Their Duties
Trump said five countries had “demonstrably failed” to meet their international drug control obligations over the past year: Afghanistan, Bolivia, Burma, Colombia, and Venezuela.
-
Afghanistan: Trump dismissed the Taliban’s drug ban as unreliable, saying stockpiles of drugs and methamphetamine production still fuel global markets and terrorism. “Some members of the Taliban continue to profit from this trade,” he stated.
-
Colombia: He criticized President Gustavo Petro’s government for allowing coca cultivation and cocaine production to rise, undoing years of joint U.S.-Colombia anti-drug efforts.
-
Venezuela: Trump said Nicolás Maduro’s regime has turned the country into a central hub for cocaine trafficking.
Sharp Criticism for China
Trump reserved his strongest words for China, which he called the world’s main source of precursor chemicals used to make fentanyl. He said Beijing’s lack of action has worsened the fentanyl crisis by fueling trafficking through Mexico and into the U.S.
“The Chinese leadership can and must take stronger and sustained action to cut down these chemical flows and prosecute the drug criminals facilitating them,” Trump warned.
He also said China supplies other synthetic drugs such as methamphetamine and nitazenes, further endangering global health.
Linking Global Trade to U.S. Drug Crisis
The president directly tied the global drug trade to America’s domestic opioid crisis, calling fentanyl trafficking by transnational cartels a national emergency.
-
He noted that fentanyl and synthetic opioids are the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18 to 44.
-
In 2024, the U.S. recorded over 200 daily deaths from drug overdoses.
-
Trump added, “More than 40 percent of Americans know someone who has died from an opioid overdose… This is unacceptable.”
Cooperation with Mexico
Trump acknowledged improved cooperation with Mexico under President Claudia Sheinbaum. He welcomed joint steps such as:
-
Deployment of 10,000 Mexican National Guard troops to the border.
-
Extradition of 29 cartel suspects to the U.S.
However, he urged Mexico to keep up the fight and crack down harder on cartel leaders.
Final Warning to Global Players
Trump warned that countries failing to act against drug trafficking will face consequences. “You are either helping us shut down these supplies or you are enabling them and America will act accordingly,” he declared.
Also Read: World News: Donald Trump Visits UK: Key Discussions Expected Amid Global Conflicts
