Trump shared a video urging Medicare coverage of hemp-derived CBD, casting it as a senior health breakthrough and sparking cannabis debate.

TL;DR

• Trump posted a video on Truth Social pushing Medicare coverage for hemp-derived CBD.
• The video, produced by The Commonwealth Project, frames CBD as the “most important senior health initiative of the century.”
• The group is funded by Howard Kessler, a Mar-a-Lago friend of Trump.
• With rescheduling stalled and GOP lawmakers divided, Medicare CBD could be Trump’s politically safer move.

On Sunday night, President Donald Trump posted a video on Truth Social that could mark a turning point in cannabis politics. The nearly three-minute clip, produced by The Commonwealth Project, urges the federal government to cover hemp-derived CBD under Medicare, calling it “the most important senior health initiative of the century.”

The spot plays like a polished pitch. Over swelling music, the narrator declares, “You can revolutionize senior healthcare” and later, “You will deliver the most important senior health initiative of the century, cementing your legacy.” It also reminds viewers of Trump’s role in the 2018 Farm Bill, which removed hemp with up to 0.3% THC from the federal list of controlled substances and cleared the way for today’s hemp-derived cannabinoids market. The message positions CBD as both a medical breakthrough and a political milestone.

The video highlights the endocannabinoid system, describing it as the body’s hidden conductor that keeps everything working in harmony, warning that it weakens with age. Hemp-derived CBD, it claims, can help bring that system back into balance, easing pain, reducing stress, improving sleep, and even slowing disease progression. A quick cut to Fox News adds a financial hook, citing a PricewaterhouseCoopers estimate that fully integrating cannabis into healthcare could save the U.S. $64 billion annually.

Industry Reactions: Policy Meets Markets

The post was quickly dissected across cannabis and finance circles. Stocks spiked Monday morning as cannabis companies and ETFs saw double-digit gains, highlighting how closely investors are watching Trump’s feed for signals.

In his Cannabis Confidential newsletter, Todd Harrison noted that Trump’s repost immediately put stakeholders on alert. The Commonwealth Project has been a visible presence in rescheduling hearings, and seeing its message amplified from the top raised the stakes.

The THC Group briefing was even more blunt: “The president just retweeted a video begging him to do something while House Republicans write budget language trying to stop him from doing it.” The group pointed out the contradiction of Trump pushing hemp-derived CBD as a Medicare benefit, the same weekend GOP lawmakers advanced language to block rescheduling funds. Its read is that Medicare CBD could be Trump’s workaround if his party refuses to move on broader cannabis reform.

Paula Savchenko, Esq., founding partner of Cannacore Group and PS Law Group, called the Medicare angle “exactly the type of forward-thinking leadership our country needs.” She argued that giving seniors safe, affordable access could be “a game-changer,” while pairing it with rescheduling would finally ease the 280E tax burden and unlock serious medical research.

Hemp vs. Cannabis: Why the Words Matter

The video makes a point of talking about hemp-derived CBD rather than marijuana. That distinction traces back to the 2018 Farm Bill, signed by Trump, which effectively legalized hemp containing less than 0.3% THC.

• Hemp is legally defined as cannabis with 0.3% THC or less. It is the source of most CBD products on the market.
• Cannabis (or marijuana under federal law) remains a Schedule I drug, alongside heroin, considered to have no medical use and a high risk of abuse.
• Some lawmakers now want to ban hemp products that contain even trace amounts of THC, a move that critics say would make CBD production nearly impossible.

By focusing on hemp-derived CBD, the video sticks with language that is safer politically, even as the rescheduling debate continues over the broader cannabis plant.

Also read: Op-Ed: Why Cannabis Rescheduling Matters, But Still Falls Short

Rescheduling vs. Medicare Coverage

This all comes as Trump considers whether to move cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act:

• Schedule I: Cannabis today, classified as having no medical use and high abuse risk.
• Schedule III: Would acknowledge medical use, reduce penalties, eliminate the 280E tax burden for businesses, and expand research opportunities.
• Medicare coverage for CBD: A separate pathway that would not require Congress but would demand regulatory action through HHS, FDA, and CMS. (Read: Four Ways Trump Could Change Weed Laws Without Congress)

As THC Group noted, Medicare CBD could be a politically safer play. No lawmaker wants to be seen voting against pain relief for seniors, which makes healthcare policy a potential path of least resistance.

Also read: It’s a Trap! Why Schedule III Could Be Worse Than Standing Still on Cannabis Reform

Who Is Behind the Video? The Commonwealth Project

The Commonwealth Project (TCP) was founded in 2019 by entrepreneur and philanthropist Howard Kessler to advance the integration of medical cannabis into healthcare for older adults, particularly those over 65.

According to TCP’s own reports, the group has partnered with senior living facilities in Florida and New York to run pilot programs where residents received medical cannabis under clinical supervision. One of these studies, the “Living Laboratory Project” at MorseLife Health System in West Palm Beach, found that 82.6% of participants showed a positive impact, 74% said cannabis was more cost-effective than their prescription drugs, and more than half stopped taking higher-risk pharmaceuticals such as opioids.

TCP has also worked with the Morehouse School of Medicine, the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and the Satcher Health Leadership Institute, while hosting roundtables on how cannabinoid therapies could fit into mainstream medicine for older adults.

These findings come from TCP’s own programs and sponsored research. The group positions itself as an advocacy effort rather than a neutral scientific body, often citing figures such as the projected $64 billion in annual healthcare savings to argue that Medicare coverage of cannabis-based therapies would both improve seniors’ quality of life and reduce costs for the system.

What’s Next

Trump has previously said a decision on rescheduling would come “in the next few weeks.” Now he is boosting a video that pitches Medicare CBD as a legacy move.

Whether this is a trial balloon or a real policy direction remains unclear. But the stakes are significant:

• For seniors: Coverage could transform access to non-pharmaceutical therapies.
• For the hemp industry: It could legitimize and stabilize a sector facing constant uncertainty.
• For cannabis reform overall: It signals that health framing, not culture or criminal justice, may be Trump’s chosen path forward.

Disclosure: The lead image of this article was created with artificial intelligence to illustrate the story. It does not depict a real Trump-branded CBD product, and it should not be interpreted as an endorsement or affiliation by Donald Trump or any related entity.

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By Brian Vicente

As the world waits for an announcement from the Trump Administration regarding rescheduling, alternatives arise. The path forward on federal marijuana policy may come from executive actions on anything from banking to Tribal sovereignty.

After a years-long process, the rescheduling of cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III under the federal Controlled Substances Act (CSA) looks promising but remains uncertain.  

As is true in most circumstances, understanding what comes next requires a clear picture of where we have been. So, how did we get to this point, and what’s next for cannabis under Trump?

Rescheduling: A Storied History and an Uncertain Future

It’s hard to believe, but rescheduling has been championed as a strong policy position for the federal government’s approach to marijuana for nearly three years now. Starting in October 2022 with an executive order by then-President Biden, the rescheduling process officially began with a mandate to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to review the classification of marijuana under federal law. Nearly a year later, the HHS officially recommended that the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) reschedule marijuana from Schedule I under the CSA. By the beginning of summer 2024, the DEA had published a proposed rule and submitted it for public comment. Hearings were scheduled and participants were selected, but by January of this year, the entire process had halted indefinitely.

As of late August 2025, Trump publicly stated his administration was “looking at” rescheduling and would decide the issue within the coming weeks. In the time since, rumors have been swirling around how the Trump administration will approach cannabis policy. Even if the rescheduling efforts initiated during President Biden’s term end up perishing in the flames of partisan politics, this is not the end of the story on federal marijuana policy reform. Most media coverage has focused on whether cannabis lands in Schedule III. This piece intentionally looks beyond that to examine four other federal policy shifts that could prove just as consequential. Moving forward, there are several possible avenues for the federal government to come up to speed with the public consensus on the need for national cannabis policy changes. Here are the top four new cannabis policies that we might see from the Trump administration as we await an announcement on rescheduling. 

Top 4 New Federal Cannabis Policies Shifts Trump Could Push Forward Without Congress

Many cannabis industry advocates remain skeptical regarding the future of rescheduling under Trump. Rescheduling marijuana may or may not be a realistic outcome under this administration, but this does not imply that no changes are under consideration. The executive branch holds significant authority to reshape federal cannabis policy, even without Congress. These four policy moves represent the most likely shifts in federal cannabis policy that we will see under Trump aside from a rescheduling announcement.

Policy #1: New Federal Enforcement Memorandum

One of the most straightforward moves the Trump administration could make is to revive or update the Cole Memorandum. This Department of Justice (DOJ) guidance document had previously set enforcement priorities, ensuring federal prosecutors steer clear of targeting state-compliant medical cannabis programs. Reinstating this memo and expressly applying its updated terms to state-regulated recreational markets would give states, medical marijuana patients, and adult-use recreational cannabis consumers much-needed clarity without requiring congressional action. 

Policy #2: Improving Banking Access Through Executive Action

In the absence of a new Cole Memorandum, a standalone executive order could explicitly direct federal resources and scrutiny away from banks that service state-regulated cannabis operators. In effect, an executive order could establish a safe harbor for financial institutions and other financial service providers that choose to support cannabis businesses but are deterred from doing so under the current regime. Any protection that could shield banks from federal prosecution or regulatory overreach would relieve some of the compliance pressures financial providers feel when serving clients in the cannabis space. In addition to helping integrate cannabis businesses into the mainstream financial system, this would help lend greater regulatory certainty to a constantly evolving patchwork of state and local policies.

Policy #3: Tribal Cannabis Policy Clarification

The Trump administration could take steps to reinforce Tribal sovereignty in cannabis markets by reissuing the Wilkinson Memo, which recognizes Tribal authority over cannabis programs. The 2014 memorandum had extended the guidance of the earlier Cole Memo to Native American Tribes, ultimately deprioritizing enforcement of federal cannabis prohibitions on sovereign Native American lands. It was rescinded during the first Trump administration in 2018, but federal enforcement policy remains in line with the Cole and Wilkinson memoranda. Even so, the risk of a federal raid looms over Native American communities that are considering regulated cannabis programs, and an updated policy would greatly mitigate risk and bolster operational certainty. Vicente LLP, in partnership with the Indigenous Cannabis Industry Association (ICIA), released a first-of-its-kind map highlighting 56 Tribal cannabis and hemp initiatives across the United States in order to help contribute to the expanding narrative on Indigenous cannabis and hemp operations. 

Policy #4: Shift the Federal Narrative Away from Prohibition

Perhaps the most powerful step the administration could take is not legal, but rhetorical. If President Trump formally acknowledges cannabis’s undeniable medical value, we will have witnessed the first break in federal prohibitionist rhetoric in a generation. Any statement regarding the legitimacy of state and Tribal medical and recreational cannabis programs could begin to erode the decades of harmful stigma. Framed within the long-term vision of eventual descheduling, even a small narrative shift would help normalize cannabis in national discourse and pave the way for future reforms.

Conclusion

Hope remains for an imminent announcement regarding rescheduling. As the world watches and the cannabis industry waits, stakeholders hold out hope for intermediate reforms. 

Even if cannabis remains a Schedule I substance, executive action alone could reshape banking, enforcement, and state and Tribal sovereignty in ways that bring federal policy more in line with the public consensus regarding cannabis. Even if the only change we see in this presidential administration is a shift in the failed rhetoric of federal prohibition, we can count this achievement as an incremental win in the long and hard-fought battle towards responsible cannabis regulation. 

Brian Vicente is a founder of the leading cannabis law firm Vicente LLP.

This article is from an external, unpaid contributor. It does not represent High Times’ reporting and has not been edited for content or accuracy. 

The Trump White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

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