‘No sir, you can’t’: Trump was about to post something on Truth Social when his staff started yelling at him to stop

President Donald Trump nearly let a major shift in U.S. drug policy slip before it was officially finalized, forcing his staff to step in and urge him not to post about it on social media. According to reports, Trump came close to announcing the move publicly even though the formal paperwork had not yet been completed.

In early December, Trump met with Kim Rivers, the CEO of Florida-based cannabis company Trulieve, along with Trump adviser Howard Kessler and Florida Sheriff Gordon Smith. During the meeting, they pushed for changes to federal marijuana policy, while the cannabis industry also made significant political donations. 

Following the discussion, Trump agreed to honor a campaign promise by backing the reclassification of marijuana from Schedule I to the less restrictive Schedule III under federal law. According to The Wall Street Journal, Trump wanted to share the news on Truth Social as soon as the meeting ended. However, aides quickly intervened, warning him that the executive order had not yet been drafted or signed.

Trump’s team had to physically stop him from posting

Posting prematurely could have caused confusion or legal complications. As a result, staff convinced Trump to hold off until the policy change could be formally prepared and announced through official channels.

Sheriff Smith said things got chaotic when Trump’s lawyers and staff realized what he was about to do. “The lawyers and his staff, they started yelling, ‘No sir, you can’t yet; there’s a 30-day period, it’s gotta go through this and that,’” Smith recalled. They had to stop him from posting.

Smith told the paper he was amazed by the whole scene. “I was in awe of the whole thing,” he said. This isn’t the first time Trump has made controversial decisions that sparked major debate.

Trump doesn’t drink alcohol and has always been tough on illegal drugs. This move upset many Republicans who disagreed with making marijuana laws more relaxed. Trump signed the executive order on December 18 to make it official.

House Speaker Mike Johnson was on speakerphone during the meeting. He argued against the change, saying marijuana was a dangerous “gateway drug.” The president has been weighing in on major business deals and policy changes throughout his term.

Marijuana had been Schedule I since 1970 under the Controlled Substances Act. This put it in the same category as heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine. Schedule I means the drug has “no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.”