How many annual fentanyl deaths did Trump claim when announcing the WMD designation, and what does CDC data actually show?

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Trump claimed "200,000 to 300,000 people die every year" from fentanyl when announcing the WMD designation in December 2025. CDC provisional data shows approximately 55,000-60,000 deaths involving synthetic opioids (primarily fentanyl) for the 12-month period ending in 2024, with total drug overdose deaths around 76,500. At their peak in 2023, total drug deaths reached 115,000. Fact-checkers called Trump's figure "a gross exaggeration" and "a made-up number," noting he inflated deaths by roughly 4-5 times.

How many annual fentanyl deaths did Trump claim when announcing the WMD designation, and what does CDC data actually show?

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