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In a notable policy shift, President Trump’s Fiscal Year 2027 budget request asks Congress to protect state medical marijuana programs from federal interference. While Trump sought to remove these protections during his first term, he is now officially proposing to maintain the rider that prevents the Department of Justice from spending funds to disrupt state-sanctioned medical cannabis laws. This move follows his recent executive order to reclassify marijuana as a Schedule III substance.
However, the proposal maintains a hardline stance on recreational cannabis in the nation’s capital. The budget includes a provision that continues to block Washington, D.C. officials from legalizing or regulating adult-use marijuana sales. While local D.C. leaders have attempted to expand access through their medical market, this federal “rider” remains a significant barrier to full legalization in the District.
The budget now heads to Congress, which has the final word on federal spending. Although lawmakers have historically protected medical marijuana programs since 2014 regardless of presidential requests, they have also consistently upheld the ban on recreational sales in D.C. The final versions of these spending bills will be determined by congressional negotiations in the coming months.
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Original article written by . Published on April 3, 2026 by Marijuana Moment.
