President Donald Trump has opened a rare rift within his party, and the issue driving it is marijuana policy. Last month, Trump announced plans to ease federal rules that govern cannabis, arguing that existing regulations have driven up taxes on marijuana businesses and hindered scientific research into potential medical benefits.
The proposal immediately put him at odds with Republican leadership on Capitol Hill, including the House speaker and several senior Senate Republicans.
Just weeks earlier, congressional Republicans had advanced legislation as part of a government funding package that tightened rules on certain cannabis-related products. That vote followed the party’s long-standing skepticism toward marijuana, even as public opinion has shifted.
Republicans have largely remained united behind Trump on many contentious decisions. The visible split over cannabis policy, however, has highlighted an unusual break.
Trump has framed his decision as a response to public opinion rather than party pressure. At the time of the announcement, he pointed to polling that shows broad support for medical cannabis, saying many Americans had urged him to act.
At the center of the proposal is an effort to move cannabis from Schedule 1 to Schedule 3 under federal drug law. Substances in Schedule 1 are defined as having no accepted medical use and a high risk of abuse. In contrast, Schedule 3 substances are considered less dangerous and may be prescribed under certain conditions.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the U.S. Health Secretary, backed the shift, reinforcing Trump’s willingness to break with the party’s traditional law-and-order wing. Kennedy, a former Democrat who joined Trump’s coalition during the last election, has made alternative health approaches a core part of his reform.
Republican leaders in Congress have voiced their objections. Speaker Mike Johnson reportedly urged Trump to delay the move, while 22 Senate Republicans sent a letter warning of health risks, addiction concerns, and potential economic harm. The letter argued that expanding the cannabis industry runs counter to promoting healthy lifestyles.
A similar message came from two dozen House Republicans, who cautioned that reclassification could endanger public safety, empower criminal organizations, and normalize drug use among children.
Trump’s announcement does not immediately change marijuana’s legal status. Any rescheduling would still require action by the DEA, a process that stalled after President Joe Biden proposed a similar idea in 2024 but left office before it was completed.
Beyond rescheduling, Trump unveiled additional steps, including a pilot program that would allow Medicare to cover certain CBD-based products. He also called on Congress to revisit recent limits on hemp-derived substances, arguing that consumers should retain access to non-intoxicating CBD.
The hemp provision has already divided Republicans. Supporters, including Senator Mitch McConnell, argue that earlier hemp legalization led to unregulated psychoactive products reaching minors. Opponents, such as Senator Rand Paul, say the new language would devastate hemp farmers and manufacturers. Trump has now aligned himself with Paul on the issue, despite past clashes between the two.
This ongoing debate and clash of opinions within the GOP ranks in Congress is likely to be of great interest to many licensed marijuana companies such as Green Thumb Industries Inc. (CSE: GTII) (OTCQX: GTBIF) that have for long wished to see federal policy evolve with regard to marijuana.
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