President Donald Trump has officially thrown his weight behind Florida state Sen. Joe Gruters (R) to chair the Republican National Committee (RNC), a move that could elevate marijuana legalization as a key issue within the GOP.
In a lengthy social media post last Thursday, Trump called Gruters “a proven leader” and gave his “Complete and Total Endorsement” for the longtime ally, who previously chaired the Florida GOP and has been an outspoken supporter of cannabis reform.
Gruters’s pro-legalization stance has put him at odds with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), who recently passed over him for a top state appointment and has sharply criticized his advocacy. DeSantis, a staunch opponent of last year’s failed adult-use cannabis initiative—Amendment 3—dismissed Gruters’s alliance with medical cannabis giant Trulieve and Democratic lawmakers as “contrary to what we told voters.”
Despite receiving majority support at the polls, Amendment 3 fell short of Florida’s 60 percent threshold. Trump had publicly backed the initiative, reportedly after meetings with both Gruters and Trulieve CEO Kim Rivers.
Now, Trump’s support for Gruters to lead the national GOP could mark a strategic play to court younger and more cannabis-friendly voters ahead of the 2026 midterms. “Florida is a freedom state,” Gruters has said, framing legalization as a conservative issue rooted in personal liberty.
Gruters has also introduced bills this year to expand Florida’s medical marijuana program, including proposals to allow home cultivation and broaden eligibility for patients prescribed opioids.
Trump’s endorsement stands in contrast with many within his party, including his new DEA chief, Terrence Cole, who has voiced concerns about marijuana’s health risks. Meanwhile, the Republican-led House Appropriations Committee recently approved a measure to block DOJ efforts to reschedule cannabis federally.
Still, GOP sentiment may be shifting. A poll commissioned by a Trump-aligned firm this spring found that a majority of Republican voters support key cannabis reforms, including allowing states to set their own policies.
Whether Gruters’s leadership bid succeeds or not, Trump’s endorsement signals a growing fault line within the GOP—and cannabis policy may be near the center of it.
Read the whole article from MarijuanaMoment here.
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