Why is Trump wooing psychedelics? It's really about Iran

Why is Trump wooing psychedelics? It’s really about Iran
Critics say that the order will only shave a few months off of FDA approval, but it made Joe Rogan happy

By Russell Payne
Staff Reporter
Published April 22, 2026 6:30AM (EDT)


(Salon) On Saturday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order expediting federal review of psychedelic drugs for treating mental illness, a class of drugs including LSD, psilocybin “magic” mushrooms and others that are highly illegal. Despite being banned, a wealth of research suggests they can treat intractable mental health problems, which has attracted significant investment from the biotech industry.

Those who have been working in the space are split, with some seeing the order as little more than a public relations stunt amid the president’s floundering Iran war, which he launched in late February alongside Israel. Others see the attention as a meaningful change in the government’s approach to drug policy, at least when it comes to psychedelic medical treatments.

At the signing on Saturday, Trump was surrounded by the typical coterie of administration officials, such as Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime proponent of psychedelics. But one guest stood out from the crowd: podcaster Joe Rogan, who buoyed Trump in the 2024 election and has long supported right-wing causes and figures, but also has a long, documented interest in psychedelics.

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However, the pomp and circumstance of the signing, as well as the limited material consequences of the order has left those working for psychedelic reform divided on how to think about it. This has only been heightened by the fact that Trump has signed other popular executive orders at times when he was flagging in the polls. Earlier this year, for example, Trump signed an executive order ordering the fast-tracking of cannabis rescheduling while he was in the midst of the Epstein files scandal, but those in the cannabis industry said it had little real-world consequences in terms of changing the federal government’s cannabis policy. ...................(more)

https://www.salon.com/2026/04/22/why-is-trump-wooing-psychedelics-its-really-about-iran/