Trump Considers Death Penalty for Drug Dealers

According to numerous sources within Donald Trump’s administration, the president is seriously considering introducing the death penalty for drug dealers in the United States. At least five key members of his cabinet, as well as a close anonymous informant, claim they regularly hear the president make comments and jokes about how dealers should be killed without trial. As reported by Axios, Trump has been discussing this idea with his inner circle and friends for several months.

Given these sources, it’s hard to deny that such comments indicate the president genuinely believes executing citizens for drug dealing is a good idea. More specifically, Trump wants to execute all drug dealers indiscriminately, believing that such radical actions are “the only way to fight the opioid crisis in the country.”

Trump’s Grim Inspirations

It appears that Trump’s attitude toward the underground drug market has been heavily influenced by his recent interactions with countries that execute people even for selling tiny amounts of drugs. In particular, Singapore, China, and the Philippines—countries Trump visited last year to meet with Rodrigo Duterte, infamous for his campaign of mass lynchings of suspected dealers.

According to Axios, an anonymous source close to the president’s cabinet stated, “Trump constantly discusses the lack of drug problems in the Philippines and China, since the authorities there simply execute dealers or even kill them in the streets.”

Recall that last November, President Trump visited the Philippines on an official trip to meet his “idol,” Rodrigo Duterte, who also rose to power through aggressive populist rhetoric. During his meeting with Duterte, Trump publicly praised his radical campaign to eradicate drug dealers and users, carried out by uncontrolled death squads, calling it “an incredibly effective tactic in the fight against the drug market.”

Many international human rights organizations criticize Duterte’s regime, whose actions have already led to the deaths of at least 8,000 Filipino citizens (according to official data). The International Criminal Court has begun investigating crimes committed by Duterte’s regime against his own people, viewing the situation as a form of genocide.

In addition, President Trump admires Singapore’s policy toward drug users and dealers. Axios confirms that Singapore is among the three nations Trump has mentioned when discussing harsher criminal penalties for drug dealing in the U.S.

Reportedly, in a conversation with one of his ministers, Trump made several comments about Singapore’s approach to drug dealers. “Many people close to him can confirm that the president constantly discusses the idea of introducing the death penalty for dealers. Once, he told a joke about talking to Singapore’s prime minister about punishing people suspected of drug trafficking. Supposedly, he asked the prime minister, ‘Do you have a drug problem in your country?’ to which the answer was, ‘No. Dealing is punishable by death.’”

It’s also reported that the president compares drug dealers to serial killers, claiming they are responsible for deaths due to overdoses. Trump has explicitly stated that he wants “drug dealers to fear for their lives if they dare to spread their poison in America.”

Is the Threat of the Death Penalty Real?

Given these remarks, it’s clear that Trump wants to start his own “genocide” of dealers on American soil. But can he actually make this happen legally? Technically, Trump cannot simply issue an order for the immediate execution of every citizen convicted of drug dealing. However, other members of his administration support the idea and are exploring ways the current administration could actually toughen penalties for drug sales.

For example, the anonymous source’s claims are supported by Kellyanne Conway, Trump’s former campaign manager and now his advisor on drug policy, who believes the administration could successfully push a bill through Congress allowing the maximum penalty, at least for dealers accused of selling especially large quantities of drugs.

Like the president, Ms. Conway believes that drug dealers, especially heroin dealers, can be considered “serial killers” because they knowingly sell substances that can easily cause overdoses. By this logic, they should face the same punishments as murderers.

Other administration members have confirmed Trump’s statements, noting that the president mainly spoke about taking tough measures against fentanyl and other opioids dealers. Currently, fentanyl is the main culprit in the U.S. opioid epidemic and, according to 2016 data, was responsible for at least 21,000 deaths—about a third of all recorded drug overdose deaths.

Recall that last October, Trump formally declared the opioid epidemic a “public health emergency,” but since then, the administration has not taken decisive action to address the problem.

Currently, illegal sale of fentanyl in amounts over 40 grams is punishable by at least five years in a high-security prison. In reality, an active dose of the substance is just a few nanograms, and a dose of 2 milligrams can already be fatal for a person.

Although Trump cannot unilaterally impose mandatory execution for drug sales, it’s worth noting that his Republican Party would likely support such a bill in Congress to please the “Boss.” According to Axios, besides the death penalty, the president is also discussing other sanctions for drug use and sales with his inner circle, including a campaign to prevent drug addiction among young people.