Trump signs order to reclassify marijuana as less dangerous drug amid GOP backlash

President Donald Trump signed an executive order reclassifying marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III, easing restrictions and enabling more medical research.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order reclassifying marijuana as a less dangerous drug.  (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images)

"We are considering that. A lot of people want to see it, the reclassification, because it leads to tremendous amounts of research that can’t be done unless you reclassify," Trump said in the Oval Office, "So we are looking at that very strongly."

Meanwhile, not everyone is on board with the change, and the move has received backlash from members of Trump’s own party. For example, a group of lawmakers, spearheaded by Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Texas, and House Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Harris, R-Md., sent a letter to Trump on Thursday urging him to not alter marijuana’s Schedule I designation. 

Specifically, the lawmakers claimed that reclassifying marijuana would send the wrong message to America’s youth, and cautioned it would jeopardize road safety.

A vessel was destroyed during U.S. military strike off Venezuela Sept. 2, 2025. (@realDonaldTrump via Truth Social)

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The Trump administration also has controversially conducted more than 20 strikes in Latin American waters targeting alleged drug boats since September as part of his effort to curb the influx of drugs into the U.S. 

Fox News’ Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report. 

Diana Stancy is a politics reporter with Fox News Digital covering the White House. 

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-signs-order-reclassify-marijuana-less-dangerous-drug-amid-gop-backlash