A signed executive order is displayed behind President Donald Trump during a Mexican Border Defense medal presentation in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C. (Bonnie Cash/UPI/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Under the provision, designated entities could face sweeping financial penalties and visa bans, which would effectively cut them off from the U.S. financial system.
"I’m proud to stand with him, which is why I led the Stop Chinese Fentanyl Act, legislation heading to his desk this week to sanction anyone in China producing illegal fentanyl used in drug trafficking," added Barr, who is running for the Senate in Kentucky to replace retiring longtime Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell. "More than half the fentanyl that comes into our country comes from China and 70% of overdoses involve fentanyl. We are sending a clear message to China: if you manufacture fentanyl that kills Americans, there will be consequences."
SOUTHCOM SAYS 8 NARCO-TERRORISTS KILLED IN LATEST EASTERN PACIFIC LETHAL KINETIC STRIKES
A Fentanyl vial is seen on March 4, 2025, in Shanghai. (VCG/Getty Images)
Since September, the administration has launched at least 28 strikes on suspected narco-trafficking boats from Venezuela. The administration has defended strikes, which have killed dozens of suspected drug criminals, on suspected narco-boats as protecting the U.S. from cartels looking to "poison Americans" with opioids.
Democrats have increasingly taken issue with the strikes, including a pair of strikes on Sept. 2 against an alleged drug boat from Venezuela. The White House confirmed the military carried out an initial strike on the boat before firing off a second that killed two suspected traffickers, sparking Democrats to claim the administration committed potential war crimes.
The defense budget was passed by a bipartisan vote in both the house and Senate, though left-wing lawmakers such as Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont have railed against the bill.
"We are spending $1 trillion every year on the military. That's more than the next NINE nations combined," Sanders said on X Thursday. "Meanwhile, millions lack health care & we have the highest childhood and senior poverty rate of almost any major country. Congress needs to get its priorities straight."
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Fox News Digital's Alex Miller contributed to this report.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-unleashes-toughest-fentanyl-crackdown-history-gop-vows-consequences-chinese-producers