U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi is under scrutiny after posting a chart on social media that appeared to credit the Trump administration with a decline in national drug overdose deaths, even though the data largely reflect trends under former President Joe Biden.
The chart, covering October 2015 through October 2024, has reignited debate over the nation’s approach to fentanyl enforcement, the broader opioid crisis and Trump’s renewed law enforcement initiatives.
Bondi’s post highlighted Trump-era measures, including border security initiatives, major drug seizures and prosecutions of drug traffickers.
“Since day one, the Trump Administration and this Department of Justice have been fighting to end the drug epidemic in our country,” she wrote. “President Trump closed the border.”
“DOJ agents have seized hundreds of millions of potentially lethal fentanyl doses. We are aggressively prosecuting drug traffickers and cartel leaders. These are the results. Elections have consequences. Electing President Trump and enforcing the law is saving American lives.”
The chart, sourced from the National Institutes of Health, shows national overdose deaths declining sharply during Biden’s presidency.
According to WION, the national rate fell from roughly 32.5 per 100,000 in October 2023 to 25 per 100,000 by October 2024, with all regions—Northeast, Midwest, South and West—experiencing decreases.
Analysts note that the data reflect long-term trends shaped by the rise of fentanyl, the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent public health interventions.
Lawmakers and public health experts reacted quickly.
California Democratic Rep. Ted Lieu mocked the post on social media.
“Lol, the truth hurts,” he wrote, highlighting that Bondi’s chart unintentionally credited Biden’s policies.
Screenshots circulated widely after Bondi deleted the post, prompting discussion over the accuracy of political messaging and public health reporting.
Long-term trends show overdose deaths surged beginning in 2015 with the proliferation of fentanyl, peaked during the pandemic, and plateaued before declining sharply during Biden’s administration.
A June 2025 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found the rate of decline under Biden was nearly double the pace seen during Trump’s first term.
Public health officials have emphasized that shifts in policy, funding and federal enforcement all contribute to these outcomes, according to OK Magazine.
The incident coincides with Trump’s renewed campaign against drug cartels.
Resist the Mainstream highlighted last month that the president signed an executive order declaring fentanyl a “weapon of mass destruction,” giving the Pentagon and DOJ expanded authority to target narcotics traffickers.
U.S. officials have also criticized Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro for allegedly facilitating drug flows into the United States.
Experts warn that despite recent declines, the reduction in overdose deaths remains fragile.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) faces staffing reductions and a $1 billion budget cut, potentially limiting treatment programs, prevention efforts, and public health interventions.
Analysts say that enforcement, policy, and funding decisions remain critical to sustaining progress.
Bondi’s social media misstep has renewed scrutiny of her tenure, including her handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files and ongoing investigations into alleged fraud in Minnesota.
While the attorney general sought to highlight Trump’s law enforcement record, the correction underscores the challenges of communicating complex public health trends amid partisan debate.
Observers note that the incident may influence future messaging by federal officials on sensitive health data.
