The Trimbos Institute, a Dutch centre for addiction research and mental health, has issued an urgent warning about ecstasy tablets moulded into the likeness of US President Donald Trump. The pills, which have been submitted to drug-testing facilities across the Netherlands, are said to contain a dangerously high concentration of PMMA, a substance that can prove lethal.
In a statement released on Friday, the institute urged anyone who encounters the pills to avoid them entirely. “Absolutely do not use these pills,” the warning read, accompanied by photographs showing the tablets with Trump's face embossed on one side and the letters “NL” and “Trump” stamped on the other, separated by a score line. The pills come in at least two colour variations, one with a green face and another yellow.
Why the pills are so dangerous
The active ingredient in these tablets is not MDMA, the usual component of ecstasy, but PMMA (para-methoxymethamphetamine), a synthetic substance that acts more slowly on the body. Because the onset of effects is delayed, users may be tempted to take additional pills, mistakenly believing the first had no effect. This can lead to overdose, overheating, and potentially fatal outcomes, according to the Trimbos Institute.
“Use of these pills can lead to overheating with possibly deadly consequences,” the institute warned, adding that the risk is heightened in crowded settings such as clubs and festivals, where body temperature already rises.
Anniek Groothuis, a spokesperson for the institute, told reporters that no serious illnesses or deaths have been linked to these specific pills so far. “We do not know of any victims where PMMA was found in their blood,” she said, though she stressed that the absence of confirmed cases does not diminish the danger.
The Netherlands has a long history of tolerating recreational drug use, even though production, sale, and possession of ecstasy are illegal. The country's drug-testing service, which allows users to anonymously submit samples for analysis, is credited with reducing harm and preventing many overdoses. A government report from 2024 estimated that around 550,000 people in the Netherlands use ecstasy each year, making such alerts particularly relevant.
This is not the first time Trump-themed ecstasy has surfaced. In 2017, German police seized thousands of orange tablets shaped like the president's head, suggesting that the novelty has persisted across European drug markets.
The Trimbos Institute's red alert, published on its website and social media channels, is part of a broader effort to inform users about dangerous substances circulating in the country. The institute regularly issues similar warnings for other adulterated or unusually potent drugs, and it encourages anyone who has acquired such pills to dispose of them immediately.
While the immediate focus is on the Netherlands, the warning has implications for the wider European drug scene, as similar pills could appear in neighbouring countries. Authorities in Belgium, Germany, and France have previously reported seizures of Trump-shaped ecstasy, and cross-border travel by festival-goers means that such products can spread quickly.
For now, the message from Utrecht, where the Trimbos Institute is based, is clear: if you come across these pills, do not take them. The risk of serious harm or death is simply too high.
