Florida's 'Queen of Versailles' appears with President Trump for 'Halt Fentanyl Act' bill signing
'Queen of Versailles' appears with President Trump
President Donald Trump signed legislation Wednesday afternoon that aims to curb the illicit flow of fentanyl into the United States during a bill-signing ceremony. The "Halt Fentanyl Act" permanently places fentanyl-related substances as a class into schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. Florida's own Jackie Siegel, the Queen of Versailles, was one of the family members who spoke of their loved ones at the bill signing.
ORLANDO, Fla. - President Donald Trump signed the bipartisan Halt All Lethal Trafficking of (HALT) Fentanyl Act into law Wednesday during a ceremony at the White House, where he was joined by families who have lost loved ones to fentanyl-related overdoses.
Among those in attendance was Jacqueline "Jackie" Siegel, the Florida philanthropist and subject of the documentary The Queen of Versailles, who has experienced multiple personal tragedies linked to drug overdoses.
What is the ‘HALT Fentanyl Act?’
What we know:
The Halt All Lethal Trafficking of (HALT) Fentanyl Act makes permanent a 2018 emergency order that classified fentanyl-related substances as a Schedule I drug, a category reserved for substances deemed to have a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use. By codifying the temporary measure into federal law, the act allows prosecutors to pursue harsher penalties for possession and distribution of fentanyl and fentanyl-related substances.
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Last month, the bill passed the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 321-104, with near-unanimous Republican support and backing from many Democrats, before being sent to the president's desk. It previously cleared the U.S. Senate by a vote of 84-16.
What we don't know:
It remains unclear whether the legislation will significantly reduce fentanyl overdoses, which continue to climb in many parts of the country. Critics argue that without additional investment in addiction treatment, education, and mental health resources, the law may have limited impact on the broader opioid crisis.
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Researchers also worry that the Schedule I designation may hinder scientific studies into potential medical uses or better understanding of synthetic opioids.
The backstory:
The HALT Fentanyl Act has sparked both support and criticism. Supporters argue it will close loopholes that traffickers use to skirt prosecution by altering the chemical structure of fentanyl analogs. Opponents, however, warn that the legislation could stifle scientific research and worsen mass incarceration without addressing the root causes of the opioid epidemic.
Civil rights groups and some health policy experts have criticized the law for its focus on punitive measures rather than treatment and prevention. Despite these concerns, the bill passed with bipartisan support, signaling a rare point of agreement in a divided Congress.
Who is the ‘Queen of Versailles?’
Local perspective:
Jackie Siegel, who spoke at the ceremony, shared how fentanyl has devastated her family.
Her sister, Jessica Mallery, died in April at age 43 from a cocaine overdose laced with fentanyl. Just days earlier, Siegel’s husband, Westgate Resorts founder David Siegel, died at 89 following a battle with cancer.
Following the death of her 18-year-old daughter, Victoria, Siegel launched the Victoria’s Voice Foundation, which advocates for drug prevention, mental health treatment, and overdose education.
Siegel's younger sister, Jessica Mallery, passed away from a drug overdose in April at age 43. Siegel informed her followers that Mallery "died after using cocaine laced with fentanyl."
Siegel's billionaire husband, Westgate Resorts founder David Siegel, died just before her sister's overdose at the age of 89 after battling cancer.
Siegel and her husband appeared in the 2012 documentary The Queen of Versailles, which chronicled the couple's extravagant lifestyle and their journey as they built a lavish, 90,000-square-foot Orlando-area home.
What they're saying:
Although the bill has been regularly renewed since 2018, it had not previously been enshrined into law.
President Trump signs 'Halt Fentanyl Act'
President Donald Trump signed legislation Wednesday afternoon that aims to curb the illicit flow of fentanyl into the United States during a bill-signing ceremony. The "Halt Fentanyl Act" permanently places fentanyl-related substances as a class into schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. Trump was joined by several families who had lost family members and friends from fentanyl overdose at the event, and several people shared their stories.
"We’ll be getting the drug dealers, pushers, and peddlers off our streets, and we will not rest until we have ended the drug overdose epidemic," President Trump said.
"It's been a rough time, but it's turned me into more of a fighter to carry on my husband's legacy and the other families' legacies of saving lives," Jackie Siegel told attendees. "And I'm turning my pain into passion."
The Source: This story was written based on information gathered from a bill signing on July 16, 2025, and from previous reporting by FOX 35 News and by the Associated Press.