Trump’s New DEA Chief Leaves Cannabis Rescheduling Off His Agenda, Raising Reform Doubts

President Trump’s newly appointed DEA Administrator, Terrance Cole, has omitted cannabis rescheduling from his strategic priorities—a sharp pivot from earlier commitments and a potential delay in reform momentum.

Aggregate public and historical context from Reuters indicates that reclassifying marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III—a move proposed under Biden’s administration—has stalled amid procedural roadblocks and shifting leadership priorities.

Despite telling the Senate Judiciary Committee in April that advancing rescheduling would be “one of my first priorities,” Cole’s list of eight strategic goals—released after his July 23 swearing-in—makes no mention of it.

Rescheduling in limbo amid leadership shakeupsThe DEA’s Chief Administrative Law Judge, John Mulrooney II—who had overseen the cannabis rulemaking hearings—announced his retirement effective August 1. This leaves no presiding judge for continuations of the rescheduling hearings, further clouding the timeline.

Industry and reform advocates worriedCannabis business stakeholders argue that Cole’s omission signals waning federal will. Cannabis companies and legal experts assert the DEA maintains an unreceptive stance toward rescheduling, citing process bias and resistance to including pro-reform voices during hearings.

Delay opens door for opposition groupsWall Street and legal analysts warn anti-legalization organizations like Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) may capitalize on these delays to stall reform altogether. Some of these groups have successfully lobbied Congress to oppose banking and rescheduling efforts like the SAFER Banking Act or STATES Act variants.

What rescheduling would changeMoving cannabis to Schedule III could relieve tax burdens under IRC § 280E and expand federal recognition of medical use. But experts caution that a reschedule alone won’t resolve federal-state conflicts, interstate commerce limitations, or banking exclusions without broader policy changes.