FBI Director Kash Patel announced on Tuesday that China would cease manufacturing fentanyl precursors, which are the chemicals used to create the opioid that has killed hundreds of thousands of Americans over the past decade.
During a press conference, Patel told reporters that the Trump administration has “been fighting hard to seize and stop drug traffickers,” which means it “must attack fentanyl precursors, the ingredients necessary to make this lethal drug.”
The director explained that addressing this issue was the impetus behind his visit to China. Eliminating these chemicals would “suffocate the drug trafficking organization’s ability to manufacture fentanyl in places like Mexico.”
Precursor chemicals are the basic elements used to create fentanyl, similar to how flour, sugar, and eggs are used to bake a cake.
“Thanks to President Trump’s direct engagement with Presdient Xi, the government of China committed fully to my engagement there on the ground in Beijing at a level never seen before,” Patel continued. “While at Ministry of Public Security headquarters, I met with my counterpart at MPS, where the Chinese government agreed on a plan to stop fentanyl precursors.”
This means the Chinese government agreed to halt the production and distribution of these chemicals. Mexican drug cartels will no longer be able to us them to manufacture the opioid before smuggling it into the United States where it can kill more unsuspecting Americans.
🚨 NEW: Kash Patel announces that China has AGREED to work with the U.S. to stop the precursors used to make fentanyl:
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) November 12, 2025
"Effective immediately, essentially President Trump has shut off the pipeline that creates fentanyl, that kills tens of thousands of Americans." pic.twitter.com/2XshMxXANr
Patel’s trip to China followed Trump’s October 30 meeting with Xi in South Korea during the APEC summit. This was the first face-to-face meeting between the two leaders since Trump began his second term. The meeting also included discussions on trade and economic deals.
In exchange, the Trump administration agreed to reduce fentanyl-related tariffs on Chinese imports from 20 percent to 10 percent.
This is a positive sign that could result in fewer opioid-related overdose deaths in America. Over 107,000 Americans died from drug overdoses in 2023. About 70 percent of these were caused by opioids like fentanyl. The drug caused almost 200 deaths per day with over a quarter of a million dying from fentanyl overdoses since 2021. This is about four times more than those who died in the Vietnam War.
Chinese manufacturing plants have been the primary source of fentanyl precursor chemicals coming into the United States and Mexico. The companies sell the raw materials to Mexican drug cartels, which then complete the manufacturing process before trafficking it into the United States and elsewhere, according to the White House.
The opioid is then laced into common street drugs because it is more addictive. Yet, many of those taking these narcotics are unaware that they contain the drug, which has led to many overdose deaths.
If China actually follows through, it would go a long way toward reducing the number of Americans killed in this manner — which would be a huge victory for the Trump administration.
Editor’s Note: After more than 40 days of screwing Americans, a few Dems have finally caved. The Schumer Shutdown was never about principle—just inflicting pain for political points.
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