During a cabinet meeting held on Wednesday, the head of Veterans Affairs in the United States informed Donald Trump that his department is “opening up psychedelic therapy” to military veterans.
The official stated that VA was working on various initiatives with non-profit organizations, and agencies, after the President asked former Republican Congressman Doug Collins about the crisis of veteran suicide.
Collins stated that he would collaborate with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
“We need to do some research and ensure it’s a good product, but that opens the door for this possibility,” said he. “And, I believe, once again, that veterans understand now that we are putting them before us.”
Trump may not have directly responded to Collins’s psychedelics-related response but the fact that psychedelics was discussed on a television meeting between the President and his Cabinet colleagues is noteworthy.
Collins, in response to a X-post from Matthew Buckley of the No Fallen Heroes Foundation, reiterated separately his commitment to explore psychedelic therapies for veterans earlier this week.
Buckley said to MEDCAN24, “I can’t recall a president ever publicly discussing veteran suicide, or asking the VA Secretary about it in a Cabinet meeting before the entire country.” To hearbuckley say: [Collins] “When I heard that nonprofits such as No Fallen Heroes Foundation were doing work to heal our veterans, it was a great moment.”
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On Monday I wrote a tweet on X, Twitter criticizing the lack of attention the Administration has given to the potential healing powers of psychedelics in veterans’ first 100 days. I directly tagged the VA secretary.
The reply was “Yes”. Thank you…
— Matthew ‘Whiz’ Buckley (@WhizBuckleyNFH) April 30, 2025
He added, “I understand the words but I think we should follow through with action.” The VA and the government must live up to their promises to young people who have answered the call to service in this great country.
Collins disclosed this week that Kennedy had a “eye opening” conversation with him about the potential therapeutic value of psychedelic drugs. He intends to push Congress to act on this issue.
When Congress is considering pathways to access, He said he was open to the idea that the government could provide vouchers for the veterans to receive psychedelic treatment outside the VA.
In December, VA separately announced that it’s providing $1.5 million in funding to study the efficacy of MDMA-assisted therapy for veterans with PTSD and alcohol use disorder (AUD).
Last year, Rachel Yehuda, who has overseen some psychedelic research as director of mental health at VA’s James J. Peters Veterans Affairs Medical Center, also touted an initial study the agency funded that produced “stunning and robust results” from its first-ever clinical trial into MDMA therapy.
Shereef Enahal, the ex-VA Under Secretary of Health who served under Shereef in VA from 1996 to 1999 said “it was very encouraging” when Trump chose Kennedy to head HHS and that Kennedy had supported psychedelics. And he hoped to work with him on the issue if he stayed on for the next administration, but that didn’t pan out.
Meanwhile, supporters are eager to watch how Collins handles marijuana policy at VA. The VA has traditionally resisted efforts by Congress to change rules regarding the study of cannabis, or to authorize government doctors to give medical marijuana recommendation to veterans living in states where it is legal.
The official has a prior record of voting against medical cannabis access for military veterans during his time in Congress.
Separately, a GOP congressman recently cheered news that the Department of Defense (DOD) has allocated nearly $10 million in funding for research into the therapeutic potential of MDMA for active-duty military members.
Another Republican congressman has also expressed optimism about the prospects of advancing psychedelics reform under Trump, arguing that the administration’s efforts to cut spending and the federal workforce will give agencies “spines” to tackle such complex issues.
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Kristie Gianpulos is the photographer.