The short version
A respected Dutch institute has issued a red alert after a batch of ecstasy pills shaped like the head of former U.S. President Donald Trump turned up at pill-testing centers. The message was blunt: these are riskier than your average party pill — steer clear.
What the pills look like
Testers found tablets molded with a tiny Trump profile on one side and the letters “NL” and “Trump” stamped beside a vertical line on the other. They’ve shown up in bright colors, including green and yellow — cute, if you were shopping for novelty soap, not a drug alert.
Why they’re dangerous
The pills reportedly contain a high dose of PMMA (para-methoxymethamphetamine), a stimulant chemically related to MDMA but slower to take effect. Because PMMA comes on more slowly, people might assume their first pill didn’t work and take more — which raises the risk of overdosing. The institute warned that this can cause severe overheating and in the worst cases be fatal.
What the institute says
The alert came from the Trimbos Institute, a trusted Dutch organization focused on addiction and mental health. They urged people not to use these pills. A spokesperson, Anniek Groothuis, said the institute has not seen confirmed serious illnesses or deaths linked to PMMA in blood tests so far — but the chemistry and overdose risk are worrying enough to sound the alarm.
Where this fits in the bigger picture
Even though production, sale and possession of ecstasy are illegal in the Netherlands, the drug is widely used at clubs and festivals. A 2024 government report estimated about 550,000 people used ecstasy in a year. Similar Trump-shaped pills have popped up before — for example, German police seized thousands of orange Trump tablets back in 2017.
The bottom line
If you see pills like these: don’t. Treat the warning seriously, and if someone feels unwell after taking a pill, seek medical help immediately. Pill-testing services exist for a reason — and this is one of those times when they’re shouting: hands off the tiny presidents.
