US Marijuana Companies Funnel $11.5 Million to Trump-Linked PAC, Filings Show

Four major marijuana companies contributed a combined $11.5 million last month to a Trump-aligned political action committee, newly filed campaign finance records show. The donations push total cannabis industry giving to Trump-connected PACs to at least $15.05 million. Trulieve Inc., Curaleaf Inc., Verano Holdings LLC and Vision Management Services LLC—a Green Thumb Industries subsidiary—each gave $2.5 million in June to America First Agriculture Action Inc., according to Federal Election Commission filings. AYR Wellness Inc.'s holding company, Arboretum Bidco LLC, added $1 million, and Ascend Wellness Holdings Inc. gave $500,000. The agriculture PAC's treasurer, Charles Gantt, also serves as treasurer of MAGA Inc., President Trump's own super PAC. MAGA Inc. has separately received $2.05 million from the American Rights and Reform PAC, a cannabis-industry-funded committee whose treasurer, Matt Harrell, is a Curaleaf executive. That PAC also gave $1.5 million to the agriculture group last year. Earlier FEC records showed Trulieve and Curaleaf together contributed $1 million to Trump's 2024 inaugural committee. The June contributions came weeks after the Department of Justice said it would proceed with federally rescheduling marijuana, a policy Trump backed on the campaign trail and later formalized through an executive order. Under an April action by Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, marijuana products covered by state medical licenses and any FDA-approved cannabis products moved from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act. A hearing that concluded this week is weighing broader rescheduling, including for recreational products. DEA officials will now collect closing briefs before a judge issues a recommendation to the agency's administrator, who can accept or reject it. An August ad from America First Agriculture Action pressed Trump to act: "Now it's time to fulfill another promise from President Trump and reschedule cannabis, which supports over 400,000 jobs and creates billions of dollars in economic growth. Reschedule cannabis and stack another win, Mr. President." A related nonprofit, America First Agriculture Inc., ran an ad after Trump's December executive order claiming the move would "destroy the cartel's illicit black market, expand medical research and ensure seniors and veterans safely receive the care they need." Separately, the American Rights and Reform PAC ran ads in May criticizing former President Joe Biden's marijuana record, despite his administration having launched the rescheduling review now underway. Opponents of the reform continue to challenge the rescheduling process through litigation.