Trump Seeks a Boost for Hemp That Would Benefit a Top Aide’s Family

Key Points:

• The White House is lobbying Congress to delay a ban on potent intoxicating hemp products that it had approved last year, seeking to include this delay in a stopgap spending bill to avoid a government shutdown.
• The proposed delay has sparked internal conflict among senators, with some opposing the rollback of restrictions designed to address public health risks, potentially jeopardizing the spending bill’s swift approval.
• The hemp industry, led in part by Bret Worley—son-in-law of Susie Wiles, President Trump’s chief of staff—has successfully influenced the administration to avoid new regulations on intoxicating hemp products like gummies and vapes.
• The Trump administration’s permissive stance on intoxicating hemp aligns with its broader approach to other substances and wellness trends, which has raised concerns among public health experts and diverges from traditional Republican positions.
• This approach appeals to the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) political movement, with the administration supporting products that carry documented health risks, including peptides, kratom, and flavored vapes.