** Welcome To The Choke Points **Why does Washington keep blaming China for America’s fentanyl crisis?This episode breaks down the real geopolitical story: how the US healthcare system, VA opioid overprescription, Big Pharma, and domestic policy failures created the opioid epidemic — and why China’s precursor chemicals became a convenient political scapegoat.We explain how fentanyl became part of the new US–China bargaining structure, why it sits alongside tariffs, soybeans, and Ukraine discussions, and how political optics turned a domestic disaster into a foreign-policy weapon.This is a hard, data-driven look at how the fentanyl narrative is used in trade negotiations, election messaging, and global power politics.**Chapters**00:00 – Why the US Blames China for Fentanyl03:12 – How America Created Its Own Opioid Crisis07:40 – Veterans, PTSD and the Overprescription System11:05 – From Big Pharma Abuse to Illicit Market Demand14:22 – China, Precursor Chemicals and the Blame Game18:55 – Mexico’s Role and Why Washington Ignores It22:30 – How Fentanyl Became a Geopolitical Bargaining Chip26:48 – The Trump–Xi Call: Fentanyl, Tariffs and Leverage31:10 – The New US–China Power Equation#fentanyl #uschina #opioidcrisis #veterans #geopolitics #thechokepoints #trump #xi #tariffs #globaleconomy #bordersecurity #chinapolitics #mexico #drugpolicy #worldorder2025 X: @thechokepointsTikTok: @thechokepointsRumble: @thechokepointsSpotify: @thechokepointsYouTube: @thechokepoints