The Washington Post is catching heat from all sides after publishing an article claiming there’s a “mysterious” drop in fentanyl trafficking at the U.S.-Mexico border—a decline many say is clearly tied to President Trump’s policies. Critics online and in Washington blasted the liberal outlet for what they called a willful refusal to acknowledge reality.

The report noted that fentanyl seizures are down nearly 30% compared to the same period last year, describing it as a puzzling trend. But Trump’s allies and top officials argue the cause is anything but mysterious. Since returning to office, Trump has launched a full-scale crackdown on the drug trade—deploying troops to the border, labeling cartels as terrorist organizations, and sanctioning their leaders.

According to the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS), fentanyl seizures—widely seen as a key indicator of overall smuggling—have dropped by more than 50% since the 2024 election. The Department of Homeland Security confirmed the trend, noting a 54% decrease in fentanyl traffic from March 2024 to March 2025.

That didn’t stop the Post from framing the drop as inexplicable. The paper speculated that the change might be due to cartel infighting, supply chain issues, or even a drop in user demand—while warning that Trump’s budget cuts could undermine addiction recovery programs. Missing from the list of possibilities? The most obvious one: the president’s border enforcement.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt wasn’t having it. She called the Post’s coverage “pathetic.” Communications Director Steven Cheung added, “They can’t stand that President Trump’s strong border policies have led to a DECREASE in fentanyl coming into the U.S.”

Even the Department of Homeland Security’s official X account chimed in, flatly stating, “It’s no mystery. On day one, Trump closed our borders to drug traffickers.” DHS cited the dramatic 54% drop in trafficking as proof that the administration’s efforts are paying off.

The backlash continued with Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-WI) posting, “Mystery solved! The Trump effect is working.” Conservative commentator Charlie Kirk was more blunt, accusing the Post of either lying or writing for “dumb” readers with a political agenda.

The tone-deaf framing wasn’t lost on readers. Abigail Jackson, a spokeswoman for the Trump White House, told Fox News Digital, “The drop in fentanyl seizures at the border is only a mystery to Washington Post reporters suffering from Trump-Derangement Syndrome.” She added, “Everyone else knows the simple truth: President Trump closed our border to illegal drug traffickers and Americans are safer because of it.”

The outrage stems not only from the content of the Post’s report but also from what critics see as a broader pattern in left-leaning media—refusing to credit conservative leadership even when the results are undeniable. The same media outlets that spent years downplaying the fentanyl crisis under Biden’s open-border policies now appear to be scrambling to explain away the turnaround.

Fentanyl claimed over 48,000 lives in 2024 alone. For years, the deadly opioid poured across U.S. borders, largely trafficked by Mexican cartels. Trump’s campaign promise to declare war on those traffickers is now being backed up by data, as seizures fall and border control tightens.

But rather than highlight a rare policy success, the Washington Post chose to scratch its head, prompting many to wonder whether the media is more interested in protecting its narrative than reporting the truth. For now, the numbers don’t lie—and neither do the American people who are paying attention.