In brief
Trimbos, a Dutch addiction‑and‑mental‑health research centre, has issued a red alert after detecting ecstasy tablets carved into the face of US president Donald Trump that contain a dangerous chemical, PMMA. The warning follows August test‑center reports, and notes that the drug’s effects may be delayed and prevent users from recognizing overt signs of overdose. The institute urged people to avoid the pills entirely, citing possible symptoms such as nausea, tachycardia and seizures hours after ingestion. Although no deaths have been reported, the alert underscores the growing risk of modified party drugs in Europe. The story also recalls a 2017 German police bust of Trump‑themed tablets, illustrating the persistence of this trend.
A Dutch drug‑addiction and mental‑health institution has classified a new class of ecstasy tablets—as shaped like the head of former US president Donald Trump— as a life‑threatening danger for club and festival goers.
Eight samples were sent to the Trimbos Institute’s toxicology laboratory in July and August. All contained unusually high levels of PMMA, a meth‑amphetamine derivative that shares a similar structure to MDMA.
The institute’s spokesperson, Anniek Groothuis, issued a public warning: “Do not use this pill under any circumstance.” PMMA’s delayed stimulant effect, often lacking overt highs, increases the risk of an accidental overdose. Symptoms can include significant nausea, rapid heartbeats and convulsions an hour or more after consumption.
Trimbos also posted images of the pills for identification, showing green fronts 22 mm × 14 mm carved with Trump’s face and a red rear side stamped with “NL” and “Trump.” A second set of cards in yellow and blue matches the same design but with an alternate colour scheme.
There are currently no recorded fatalities associated with these particular pills in the Netherlands, where ecstasy remains illegal yet popular, with a 2024 government report citing 550,000 users in 2022 alone.
This is not the first instance of Trump‑styled party drugs. In 2017, German police seized approximately 5,000 carrot‑coloured tablets shaped like the president’s head, distributed online under the catchphrase “Trump makes partying great again.”