3 Power Brokers Behind Trump’s Cannabis Shake-Up
Behind Trump’s marijuana reclassification: how lobbying, donors, and data reshaped cannabis policy and expanded access through a bold White House move.
On Thursday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order easing federal restrictions on marijuana — and paving the way for a Medicare pilot program covering CBD — the culmination of a coordinated, year-long effort by the cannabis industry that included traditional lobbying, large political donations, data-driven messaging, and direct access to those close to the president.
Despite the GOP's long-standing opposition to loosening drug laws — including a small wave of bills from lawmakers seeking to further tighten regulations following the executive order — industry advocates hailed it as a victory. They see the order as a major success in reframing marijuana as a pro-business policy rather than a social issue, and in finally winning over a president known for his unpredictability.
“More people have talked to me about reclassifying marijuana than anything else,” Trump said during the signing ceremony in the Oval Office on Thursday.
According to several insiders, three individuals emerged as key architects of the policy shift, including the CEO of a cannabis company listed on the New York Stock Exchange, who requested anonymity to speak candidly. These sources identified the key players as Palm Beach billionaire and longtime friend of the president Howard Kessler; Kim Rivers, CEO of cannabis giant Trulieve; and Tony Fabrizio, Trump’s longtime pollster.
Kessler, considered a pioneer in the affinity credit card field, has been associated with Trump since at least 2005, attending Trump’s wedding to Melania and appearing at Mar-a-Lago and state dinners. A leukemia survivor, Kessler began advocating for the therapeutic benefits of cannabis for seniors in 2019 and founded The Commonwealth Project to further this cause. In September, Trump shared a video on Truth Social from The Commonwealth Project, which stated that CBD coverage is "the most important senior health initiative of the century."
Other key members of the Trump administration acknowledged Kessler's influence on Thursday.
During the signing ceremony, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said, "We wouldn't be here today without Kessler."
Dr. Mehmet Oz, head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, joked with Kessler in the Oval Office, saying, "God bless you for being such a pain in the neck for us." Oz added that Kessler had promised he would finally stop calling the president about the issue after the order was signed. Kessler did not respond to a request for comment. The White House said Trump's executive order would pave the way for new treatments.
"The presence of several law enforcement and veterans group leaders at the signing in the Oval Office demonstrates President Trump's continued commitment to supporting our nation's heroes," White House spokesperson Kush Desai said in a statement.
Industry CEO Kim Rivers, CEO of Trulieve, one of the largest cannabis companies in the U.S., has also cultivated a close relationship with the Trump administration, particularly through a personal connection with Trump's chief of staff, Susie Wiles.
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While Wiles was not a registered lobbyist for Trulieve, she previously worked at Ballard Partners, a Florida lobbying firm that represents the company. Rivers said, "Millions of Americans are using medical cannabis. The president has made it clear that he wants people to have access to safe, regulated, researched products in a controlled environment."
Rivers attended two events leading up to the inauguration, including one with Vice President J.D. The meetings included a dinner with Vance, and he reportedly also attended a fundraiser in August at Trump’s New Jersey golf club that cost $1 million per plate, where he urged Trump to reclassify marijuana, as first reported by the Wall Street Journal.
Trulieve’s campaign spending also benefited Trump. Federal Election Commission filings show that Trulieve donated $750,000 to Trump’s inaugural committee and $250,000 to his MAGA Inc. super PAC.
The company reportedly played a key role in securing Trump’s support for a Florida ballot initiative to legalize recreational cannabis for adults 21 and older. Although the initiative failed, Florida Division of Elections records show that Trulieve spent more than $100 million on the election.
Pollster
The president also received data from his pollster, Fabrizio, who has his own connections to the issue.
According to FEC filings, American Rights and Reform, a cannabis-backed super PAC, paid a substantial sum to a firm led by Fabrizio to conduct a poll that found broad voter support for rescheduling.
During the signing ceremony on Thursday, Trump repeatedly referenced Fabrizio's data, highlighting a survey published in March that showed widespread voter support for easing restrictions. The data revealed that young voters aged 18 to 34 were the most supportive of these reforms, with nearly 80% in favor.
Fabrizio's son, AJ Fabrizio, is also a prominent figure in the cannabis industry and a CEO who has stated that he used medical marijuana to treat his epilepsy.
AJ Fabrizio created his own cannabis extract brand, IVXX—a line of carbon dioxide-extracted hash oil produced exclusively for Terra Tech Corp., a publicly traded cannabis company that owns dispensaries such as The Green Door in San Francisco and Blum in Oakland, California.
In interviews, AJ has described how cannabis helped control his seizures, leading to a shift in his perspective from skepticism to support. He has even compared the future of cannabis to that of "Standard Oil"—arguing in a recent podcast interview that just as Rockefeller transformed oil byproducts into a petrochemical empire, the cannabis industry is poised to revolutionize materials, medicine, and nutrition.
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