Federal Election Commission records reveal that Trulieve, a major marijuana producer, contributed $750,000 after Donald Trump was elected in November 2016 to the inaugural committee of President Donald Trump.
Trump’s campaign team has received more than $1 million in marijuana donations from cannabis companies, including the $250k that Curaleaf gave to his inauguration through the U.S. Cannabis Council.
Trulieve’s CEO Kim Rivers met Trump personally last year before his endorsement of the Florida Cannabis Legalization Ballot Initiative that her company funded in large part, but ultimately failed to pass.
She attended two other pre-inauguration functions: a celebration of Vice President J.D. She also attended two pre-inauguration events: a dinner celebrating Vice President J.D.
Trulieve donated $500,000 on December 5 to the inaugural committee, according to FEC records. It donated $250,000. Then, on December 20th it gave another $500,000.
Uncertain is whether Trulieve, a cannabis company, feels like it’s seen any returns on investment so far in its efforts to change federal marijuana laws. Trulieve was contacted by MEDCAN24 for comment but a spokesperson wasn’t immediately available.
In the meantime, Florida is also funding another effort in order to place a cannabis legalization initiative on Florida’s 2026 ballot.
Trump also, during the election campaign, backed the federal rescheduling of marijuana and the opening up of banks for state-legal cannabis businesses. Since taking office, he has not spoken out publicly about the marijuana issue.
Other industry players have also appealed to the President in the hope that he would act proactively to implement the reforms which he supported during his campaign.
In recent weeks, a political action committee supported by the marijuana industry has run a number of advertisements that attack former President Joe Biden and the country of Canada for their cannabis policies. They promote sometimes inaccurate claims regarding the previous administration but make the argument that Trump will deliver on his promises of reform.
Its latest ad accused Biden and his Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) of waging a “deep state war” against medical cannabis patients—but without mentioning that the former president himself initiated the rescheduling process that marijuana companies want to see completed under Trump.
Adding uncertainty to that process, Trump’s pick to lead DEA, Terrance Cole, is on record repeatedly voicing concerns about the dangers of marijuana and linking its use to higher suicide risk among youth.
The current acting administrator, Derek Maltz, has separately made a series of sensational claims about marijuana, calling it a gateway drug that sets children up to use other substances, suggesting marijuana use is linked to school shootings and alleging that the Justice Department “hijacked” the cannabis rescheduling process from DEA.
Earlier this month, DEA notified an agency judge that the marijuana rescheduling process is still on hold—with no future actions currently scheduled as the matter sits before Maltz.
In a separate survey, it was found that most Republicans are in favor of a range of reforms relating to cannabis. They’re also more in favor of states being able to legalize cannabis without interference from the federal government than average voters.
A majority of both voters overall (70%) as well as GOP voters (67%) supported rescheduling marijuana.
The survey was first noted by CNN in a report last month that quoted a White House spokesperson saying the administration currently has “no action” planned on marijuana reform proposals, including those like rescheduling and industry banking access that Trump endorsed on the campaign trail last year.
The White House has also said that marijuana rescheduling is not a part of Trump’s drug policy priorities for the first year of his second term—a disappointment for advocates and stakeholders who hoped to see him take speedier action.
Meanwhile, former marijuana prisoners who received clemency from Trump during his first term staged an event outside the White House last week, expressing gratitude for the relief they were given and calling on the new administration to grant the same kind of help to others who are still behind bars for cannabis.
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