Donald Trump has confirmed that his administration is “looking at” reclassifying marijuana, a move that could significantly change the federal government’s stance on the drug.
Speaking at a press conference on August 11, the 79-year-old president revealed that the administration is considering reducing marijuana’s classification as a dangerous substance.
Trump told reporters that the decision is still in the early stages but expressed hopes to decide within the next few weeks.
“We’re looking at reclassification, and we’ll make a determination over the next - I would say, over the next few weeks, and that determination hopefully will be the right one. It’s a very complicated subject,” he added.
The announcement comes just days after Trump attended a $1 million-per-head fundraiser with influential leaders from the marijuana industry, including Kim Rivers, the CEO of one of the largest cannabis companies, Trulieve, and top executives from Pfizer and the cryptocurrency world.
Industry insiders have been advocating for change, with cannabis companies enlisting high-powered lobbyists to sway the President’s decision.
Currently, marijuana is classified as a Schedule I drug under federal law, a designation that labels it as highly dangerous and addictive, with no accepted medical use.
This classification, in place since the Controlled Substances Act of 1970, has led to its prohibition across most federal regulations, despite its widespread legalization in 45 states for medical or recreational use.
A reclassification to Schedule III, as proposed by the Biden administration in 2024, would not legalize recreational marijuana but would reduce criminal penalties, open the door for more research, and most likely allow for tax breaks for marijuana companies.
It would also pave the way for pharmaceutical companies to become more involved in the marijuana industry where it’s legal.
However, Trump has made it clear that the decision is complex. “I’ve heard great things having to do with medical and bad things having to do with just about everything else,” he said.
He acknowledged the divided public opinion on marijuana, noting that “some people like it, some people hate it. Some people hate the whole concept of marijuana".
This push to reconsider marijuana's classification isn’t a new one, as in 2022, then-President Joe Biden directed the Department of Health and Human Services and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to review the drug’s classification, USA Today reported.
In 2023, the Health and Human Services recommended moving marijuana to Schedule III, and the DEA proposed a rule change. However, that change has been delayed since March 2025.
For the current president, the move would mark a big shift in marijuana policy since it was first banned, though he has stressed that the reclassification would not make recreational marijuana legal under federal law.
While Trump himself has voiced his reservations about cannabis, he is keen on tackling cultural issues that resonate with broad public support. In 2024, he publicly supported a Florida amendment to legalize marijuana, although the measure ultimately failed.