Politics
The White House is promoting President Donald Trump’s executive order directing federal agencies to complete the process of rescheduling marijuana as one of the administration’s major accomplishments during his first year back in office.
Published
on January 21, 2026
The White House is highlighting President Donald Trump’s executive order directing federal agencies to complete the rescheduling of marijuana as a major achievement during his first year back in office.
“In just 365 days, President Trump has delivered truly transformative results, with the most accomplished first year of any presidential term in modern history,” a new article on the White House website states, listing “365 wins from President Trump’s first 365 days back in office.” Number 305 on that list reads: “Signed an executive order reclassifying marijuana to Schedule III, accelerating medical research and patient access.” The cannabis item is featured under the section titled “Making America Healthy Again.”
While the White House touts the executive order, signed last month to direct Attorney General Pam Bondi to expedite moving marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), the rescheduling has not yet taken place. The Department of Justice has provided no updates or timeline for completing the process, and Bondi—who has historically opposed marijuana reform—did not attend the signing ceremony.
A Democratic senator told Marijuana Moment that it is “too early to tell” what impact Trump’s cannabis order will have. While some elements appear promising, he expressed concern about how the DOJ will ultimately handle the process.
Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) said, “The ability of the Trump administration to speak out of both sides of their mouth is staggering. I really want to wait and see. Obviously, there are things that look promising—to end generations of injustice—but it’s too early to know.”
Earlier this month, two GOP senators introduced an amendment to block the administration from rescheduling cannabis, though it was not considered on the Senate floor. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) also stated that a marijuana rescheduling appeal process “remains pending,” despite Trump’s executive order.
A recent Congressional Research Service report noted that the DOJ could, in theory, reject the president’s directive or delay the process by restarting the scientific review of marijuana. Separately, Bondi missed a congressionally mandated deadline to issue guidance easing barriers to research on Schedule I substances, including marijuana and psychedelics.
