Trump is considering downgrading Marijuana’s drug classification

During a recent dinner at his private Bedminster, New Jersey, club, as President Donald Trump reminisced about his actions against the nation’s top economic statistician and mused on New York City politics, the discussion shifted to a politically charged topic still unresolved: easing federal marijuana restrictions.

“We need to look at that,” Trump told the small circle of donors, according to two attendees. “That’s something we’re going to look at.”

Almost a year earlier, Trump had suggested that his return to the Oval Office could usher in a new era for cannabis — one that would broaden adult access to safe products and grant states more freedom to pursue legalization. He expressed openness to removing marijuana from the same legal category as dangerous drugs like heroin, setting himself apart from many Republican predecessors. The stance came as Trump worked to appeal to younger voters, minority communities, and libertarian-leaning Americans.

Yet, seven months into his second term, Trump has not acted on marijuana — a conspicuous unfulfilled promise from a president who has otherwise moved quickly on key campaign commitments.

Behind closed doors, the matter has revealed deep divisions within his team. Trump’s senior political advisers — who have driven an assertive effort to tick off campaign pledges — have urged movement on the issue, two people familiar with internal talks said. They contend such a step could strengthen Republican standing before the midterms.

Some policy advisers, however, remain hesitant, warning that loosening marijuana rules could carry moral and legal consequences that outweigh potential political benefits — or even trigger backlash.

White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson told CNN that, regarding marijuana, “all policy and legal requirements and implications are being considered.”

“The only interest guiding the president’s policy decision is what is in the best interest of the American people,” she said.

Meanwhile, public messaging has been mixed. Scotts Miracle-Gro CEO James Hagedorn told Fox Business last week that Trump has privately reassured him and others “multiple times” that he plans to reclassify marijuana into a less restricted category. The 157-year-old lawn and garden company — now a major player in the growing cannabis industry with a booming hydroponics branch — donated $500,000 to a Trump-aligned super PAC last year, according to Federal Election Commission filings.