Trump’s First Pick For Attorney General Says Marijuana Rescheduling Is ‘On The Horizon’

Former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL)—President Donald Trump’s first pick for U.S. attorney general this term before he withdrew from consideration—says “meaningful” marijuana reform is “on the horizon” under the current administration, praising the president’s “leadership” in supporting rescheduling.

In an op-ed published by The Tampa Bay Times on Thursday, Gaetz said that moving cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) “won’t solve every problem overnight, but it is a necessary step in the right direction.” And he expressed confidence that Trump will bring about that reform.

The former lawmaker’s column omits mention of the fact that former President Joe Biden initiated the rescheduling review that led federal agencies to recommend the reclassification. And while it’s true that, during his 2024 campaign, Trump endorsed the policy change in a social media post, he has not publicly discussed marijuana issues since taking office.

In any case, Gaetz said today “there is meaningful change finally on the horizon, thanks to President Donald Trump and his leadership in supporting the rescheduling of cannabis from a Schedule I drug to a Schedule III drug.”

Gaetz said he’s “always believed that marijuana laws should be rooted in science, not stigma,” citing his work to advance reform during his time in the Florida House and Congress.

However, he seemed to mischaracterize his contribution to the issue in the state legislature, claiming he introduced legislation at the time to “legalize marijuana because I understood that our outdated federal policies were failing patients, veterans and businesses.” Gaetz did sponsor a limited medical cannabis bill, but not a full-out legalization measure. In Congress, he was one of the sole GOP votes to support a Democrat-led federal legalization bill, however.

“For too long, cannabis has been classified alongside heroin and LSD, substances with no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse,” the former lawmaker said in the new op-ed. “This classification has severely hindered research, blocked access for patients, including millions of veterans, and burdened legitimate businesses with unnecessary regulations.”

“Moving cannabis to Schedule III is a step in the right direction. It acknowledges its medical benefits, eases restrictions on scientific studies, and allows cannabis businesses to operate on a more level playing field by eliminating unfair tax burdens,” he wrote. “If cannabis is not rescheduled, scientists will have to continue navigating unnecessary hurdles, such as obtaining special licenses to be able to conduct their research and having to source cannabis from a limited number of suppliers, which makes studies difficult to conduct.”

Rescheduling would “eliminate these excessive tax burdens and allow legal operators to thrive, leading to increased investment and more access to cannabis for patients and veterans,” Gaetz said.

Gaetz, who resigned from Congress after being nominated for attorney general amid a slew of controversies that were investigated by the House Ethics Committee, said that “Trump has long been a champion of cutting through bureaucratic red tape, and his support for rescheduling cannabis is another example of his commitment to commonsense reform.”

“By backing this move, he stands up for patients, small businesses and especially our veterans. It is crucial that our federal agencies follow through on this effort and finally align federal cannabis policy with the will of the American people,” he said.

“Rescheduling marijuana to Schedule III won’t solve every problem overnight, but it is a necessary step in the right direction. This is a crucial move that will help the millions of Americans who rely on cannabis for relief, the entrepreneurs working to build a responsible industry and the veterans who deserve better treatment options. Let’s get this done and continue the fight for full cannabis reform.”

Trump’s personal views on rescheduling are largely limited to a single social media post, though he has previously voiced support for medical cannabis. And on the campaign trail, he also backed marijuana industry banking access and a Florida adult-use legalization ballot measure.

But the promotion of the president’s support for rescheduling comes as the current administrative process is delayed, with a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) judge postponing hearings on the proposal near the end of Biden’s term amid complications related to selected witnesses. That included questions about whether DEA leadership actually supported the proposed rule despite the agency’s role as the “proponent” of the policy.

Advocates and stakeholders were generally encouraged when Trump picked Gaetz to lead the Justice Department following his election, even if the pick was controversial for unrelated reasons. Having an attorney general who proactively championed reform would have represented a major shift, and many felt it would have boded well for seeing through the rescheduling process.

Since then, however, Trump picked former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi (R) to run DOJ, and the Senate confirmed that choice. During her confirmation hearings, Bondi declined to say how she planned to navigate key marijuana policy issues. And as state attorney general, she opposed efforts to legalize medical cannabis.

Adding to the uncertainty around the fate of the rescheduling proposal, Trump’s nominee to lead DEA, Terrance Cole, has previously voiced concerns about the dangers of marijuana and linked its use to higher suicide risk among youth.

But the messaging of Gaetz’s op-ed speaks to a running theory within some industry circles—that leveraging Trump’s stated support for rescheduling and appealing to him by framing the issue as a means to support veterans and patients could motivate the president to advocate for the reform from the Oval Office. Regardless of how other officials in his administration feel, the thinking goes, a mandate from Trump would not go unheeded.

To that point, a marijuana industry-funded political action committee (PAC) is attacking Biden’s cannabis policy record as well as the nation of Canada, with new ads promoting sometimes misleading claims about the last administration while making the case that Trump can deliver on reform.

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