In a significant departure from longstanding federal policy, President Donald Trump has enacted an executive order to downgrade the classification of marijuana in the United States. The order, signed on December 18, 2025, initiates the process of moving cannabis from its current status as a Schedule I substance to the less restrictive Schedule III category.
A Watershed Moment for US Drug Policy
The reclassification represents a profound shift, altering the legal landscape for a drug historically grouped with heroin and LSD. Under the new directive, cannabis would instead be categorised alongside substances like ketamine and certain anabolic steroids. It is crucial to note that this administrative change, to be enacted by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), does not legalise recreational use nationwide. However, it is expected to dramatically reshape regulation and provide substantial tax relief for the burgeoning cannabis industry.
The timing of the announcement was notable, coming on the eve of a deadline related to the release of the Epstein Files and shortly after a new batch of related photographs were made public.
Opposition and Broader Drug Policy Context
The move has not been without its critics. A faction of lawmakers, led by North Carolina Senator Ted Budd, has vocally opposed the change. In a letter to the President, they contended that marijuana remains a danger to public health and road safety, arguing the shift would undermine the administration's agenda. The letter also made a geopolitical claim, suggesting "the only winners from rescheduling will be bad actors such as Communist China".
President Trump's stance on full decriminalisation has been ambiguous; he has historically preferred the issue to be decided on a state-by-state basis. His second term has been more defined by a stringent campaign against drugs like fentanyl. In a parallel action, he signed an order designating fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction. This policy was underscored by a military strike in the eastern Pacific Ocean, which resulted in four fatalities after a vessel was accused of drug smuggling.
Controversy at the Kennedy Center
Concurrent with the drug policy news, a separate cultural controversy emerged. The Trump-appointed board of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts voted to rename the institution the "Trump Kennedy Center". Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced the decision on social media, crediting the President's work in saving the building's physical and financial state.
President Trump, who chairs the board after replacing Joe Biden's appointees with Republican allies, expressed surprise and honour at the vote. The decision has sparked fury within the Kennedy family. Maria Shriver, a niece of President John F. Kennedy, labelled the potential rebrand "insane" in a July social media post, calling it "petty" and "small minded". This follows Trump's earlier alteration of the White House Rose Garden, a Kennedy-era feature, which was turned into a patio.
Interestingly, a Kennedy family member serves in Trump's administration: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is the Secretary of Health and Human Services. In that role, he recently announced controversial proposals to cut federal funding for gender-affirming care for transgender youth, measures condemned by medical advocates who warn they put lives at risk.
The confluence of these events—a major drug policy reform, a cultural institution's renaming, and contentious health funding changes—paints a picture of an administration actively reshaping significant aspects of American policy and society as 2025 draws to a close.
