President Donald Trump signed a sweeping executive order to fast-track psychedelic drug research after a direct text message from podcast giant Joe Rogan.
The decision followed a rapid chain of events that unfolded over just a few days, culminating in a striking, and at times awkward, Oval Office appearance on Saturday afternoon.
The directive aims to accelerate federal review of substances like ibogaine and LSD, marking a significant shift in US drug policy.
The move followed what Rogan described as a brief exchange with the president that quickly escalated into a full-scale policy push inside the administration.
Rogan sent Trump information about ibogaine – a powerful psychedelic that some veterans have used to treat post-traumatic stress disorder and opioid addiction – including data on its reported success rates. Rogan said Trump replied immediately.
‘The text message came back: “Sounds great. Do you want FDA approval? Let’s do it,” Rogan said of Trump’s response during the White House event. ‘It was literally that quick.’
What followed was, in the words of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Mehmet Oz, an ‘unimaginable task’ – a weeklong sprint to transform a private exchange into federal policy.
By Saturday, Trump had signed an executive order directing his administration to accelerate research and regulatory review for certain psychedelic drugs – substances long classified among the most restricted under federal law.
President Donald Trump speaks before signing an executive order in the Oval Office. The executive order aims to further medical research and clinical trials into psychedelic drugs
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks with podcaster Joe Rogan as Trump signs an executive order about easing restrictions on mental health treatments, including, ibogaine, in the Oval Office
‘In many cases, these experimental treatments have shown life-changing potential for those suffering from severe mental illness and depression, including our cherished veterans,’ Trump said at the signing.
Behind the scenes, officials had already been working for months on ways to expand access to psychedelic therapies.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had made the issue a priority, and aides including Calley Means and Dr. Heidi Overton helped push the effort forward once Trump signaled his approval, according to people familiar with the process.
But Rogan’s involvement appears to have pushed the issue to the top of the agenda.
The executive order directs the Food and Drug Administration to expedite review of drugs designated as ‘breakthrough therapies,’ encourages data sharing between federal agencies and opens the door to rapid rescheduling of psychedelics if approved.
FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary said the agency will issue national priority vouchers allowing certain drugs to move through approval in weeks instead of months.
There was an awkward dynamic between Trump, Kennedy and Rogan with the president barely turning around to look at the pair following the signing
‘We all respect Joe, he’s a little bit more liberal,’ Trump said during the signing. ‘It’s OK.’ – Rogan could be seen lurking in the background
Rogan could be seen lingering in the background of the tightly packed Oval Office
It is a dramatic shift for substances that remain illegal under federal law and are classified alongside drugs such as heroin.
The president added that the directive would help ‘dramatically accelerate’ access to potential treatments.
“If these turn out to be as good as people are saying, it’s going to have a tremendous impact.”
