Over a recent dinner at his private Bedminster, New Jersey, club, as President Donald Trump recounted his move against the country’s top economic statistician and riffed on New York City politics, the conversation turned to a politically potent issue still in flux: loosening federal restrictions on marijuana.
“We need to look at that,” Trump acknowledged to the small gathering of donors, according to two people in attendance. “That’s something we’re going to look at.”
Nearly a year ago, Trump suggested his return to the White House would usher in a new era for marijuana, one that would make it easier for adults to access safe products and give states greater leeway to pursue legalization. He signaled support for removing marijuana from the same legal category as dangerous narcotics like heroin. The pronouncement set him apart from many of his Republican predecessors and came as Trump courted younger Americans, minority groups and libertarian-leaning voters.
But seven months into his second term, Trump’s inaction so far on marijuana remains a notable unkept commitment by a president who has acted swiftly on other campaign pledges.
Behind the scenes, the issue has exposed sharp fault lines within Trump’s team. Trump’s top political advisers, who have led an aggressive push to check off campaign promises, have urged action, according to two people familiar with the internal discussions. They have argued that such a move could help bolster Republican support ahead of the midterm elections.
