Dutch Institute Issues “Red Alert” Over Donald Trump-Shaped Ecstasy Pills: “Never Use These”

Warning Says Pills Contain Dangerous Chemical PMMA, Raising Risk of Overdose
Amsterdam: A leading Dutch institute for drugs and mental health, the Trimbos Institute, has issued a “red alert” over ecstasy pills shaped like US President Donald Trump’s face, warning that they could potentially be life-threatening.
The institute said on Friday that several such pills had recently been submitted to a network of drug-checking centers across the Netherlands, where users can have substances tested before use. The institute issued a clear warning: “Do not use these pills under any circumstances.”
Images released by Trimbos show an outline of Trump’s face on one side of the pills, while the words “NL” and “Trump,” separated by a vertical line, are stamped on the other side. The pills were found in green and yellow colors.
According to the institute, the pills contain a high concentration of para-methoxymethamphetamine (PMMA), a substance chemically similar to MDMA, the main active ingredient in ecstasy. Trimbos warned that PMMA can take longer to produce effects than MDMA, and this delay may lead users to take additional pills, mistakenly believing the first dose had no effect — significantly increasing the risk of a fatal overdose. The institute said use of these pills could cause severe overheating of the body, with potentially fatal consequences.
Despite the warning, Trimbos spokesperson Anieke Groothuis said no confirmed reports of serious illness or death linked to the Trump-shaped pills had been received so far. She told the Associated Press: “We are not aware of anyone affected who has tested positive for PMMA in their blood.”
It is worth noting that ecstasy remains illegal in the Netherlands, though its use is widespread, particularly at nightclubs and music festivals. A 2024 government report estimated around 550,000 users that year. This is not the first such incident — in 2017, German police seized thousands of orange-colored ecstasy pills molded in the shape of Trump’s head.