If Trump Reschedules Marijuana, ‘The Game Is Over For Democrats,’ President’s First Pick For Attorney General Says

OG Article By Kyle Jaeger

A former GOP congressman, initially nominated by President Donald Trump to serve as U.S. attorney general, is renewing his call for cannabis rescheduling. He claims that if the president moves forward with the reform within weeks, as promised, it could spell defeat for Democrats at the ballot box.

Former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), who withdrew from consideration for the AG position amid unrelated controversies, dedicated a significant portion of his One America News show on Monday to discussing federal cannabis laws.

Gaetz, the sole GOP member to cosponsor a Democratic-led cannabis legalization bill while in Congress, said:

If there’s one thing Americans love more than low gas prices and a secure border, it’s making sure our laws at least make actual sense in the decade in which we live right now.

Rescheduling: A Practical Move

Gaetz emphasized the need for rescheduling, stating:

Rescheduling is the government saying, ‘okay, maybe this isn’t the same as crack cocaine—and maybe doctors should be allowed to prescribe it without acting like they’re handing out plutonium.’ And here’s the kicker: We already have half the country allowed to use cannabis under the color of state law.

He highlighted the widespread acceptance of cannabis in states like Florida, California, and Colorado, noting:

States like Florida, California, Colorado, and so many others—even red states—have dispensaries that look like Apple stores. You walk in, and it’s like a Genius Bar for THC. People are paying taxes on it. Landlords are getting profitable tenants. Jobs are being created. What’s Uncle Sam doing? Pretending it’s still a cartel product smuggled into the country in a hollowed-out coconut.

Gaetz argued that rescheduling would align federal policy with state realities and deliver political benefits:

If President Trump does this, the game is over for Democrats at the ballot box. We could be the party that allows people to safely use cannabis without pretending it’s for your glaucoma-ridden cat. It’s populism meets practicality. Suddenly, MAGA hats in line at the dispensary, patriots buying prerolls called ‘1776 Freedom Kush.’ Beautiful.

Trump’s Position and Political Context

Trump recently made his first public comments on cannabis since taking office, indicating a decision on rescheduling would come within weeks, though he did not clarify his stance despite previously endorsing the policy during his campaign.

Gaetz addressed critics of rescheduling, saying:

Now don’t get me wrong: There are still people clutching their pearls saying buying cannabis is a gateway drug. Yeah, so is drinking Mountain Dew if you consume enough of it. In reality, cannabis is more like a gateway to eating three sleeves of Oreos and having deep thoughts about how ceiling fans work.

He also framed rescheduling as a law-and-order issue:

Rescheduling also has a law and order angle that nobody talks about. You clear the nonsense cannabis charges out of the system, and you free up the courts, the police, and prisons to deal with actual criminals. I’d rather have the cops chasing MS-13 than some guy in a Phish t-shirt growing three plants in his garage. And let’s not forget: the war on drugs has been a lot like many of the wars America has fought in my lifetime. We have battled for decades in the costliest and deadliest of ways, and the drugs have won in the war on drugs. Drugs won.

Political Strategy and Public Support

Gaetz suggested that rescheduling could be a political win for Trump, stating:

If Trump reschedules cannabis, he can finally say, ‘we’re focusing on the real killers now, and I fixed this ridiculous policy the swamp ignored for half a century.’ Plus, imagine the trolling value. Every blue state governor who’s been preaching legalization for years but never actually fixing anything—Trump can suddenly get it done. At CNN, heads will explode. Rachel Maddow will be so triggered not even the stickiest indica could calm her.

He concluded with a direct appeal to the president:

President Trump, reschedule cannabis. Do it big, do it loud. Sign the order with a gold Sharpie, hold it up for the cameras, and say, ‘this plant was treated more unfairly than I was.’ It’s good politics, it’s good economics, and it’s about time the federal government stopped pretending that Snoop Dogg and El Chapo are in the same business. And if anyone is still clutching their pearls, hand them a CBD gummy.

Broader Developments

Gaetz’s comments follow his earlier prediction that “meaningful” cannabis reform is “on the horizon” under the Trump administration. Advocates were initially encouraged by Trump’s nomination of Gaetz for the Justice Department, given his vocal support for reform, but the nomination of former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, who opposed medical cannabis legalization, has raised concerns.

Bipartisan congressional lawmakers are urging Trump to follow through on rescheduling, while a new political committee tied to Trump’s super PAC is also pushing for reform, highlighting his campaign promises. A recent survey by Fabrizio, Lee & Associates, LLC, showed majority Republican support for various cannabis reforms, underscoring the issue’s growing political relevance.