President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Saturday directing federal agencies to accelerate access to psychedelic drugs like psilocybin and ibogaine for treating mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, and PTSD. The order allocates $50 million in funding and instructs the FDA to prioritize reviews. Trump was joined by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Dr. Mehmet Oz, former Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell, and podcast host Joe Rogan.
In the Oval Office, Trump held up the signed order before a small audience, joking, 'Can I have some, please?' to laughter. He framed the move as addressing a national mental health crisis, noting that over 14 million American adults have a serious mental illness and about 8 million are on prescription medications. The president highlighted trials showing success with active military and veterans, with the Department of Veterans Affairs now involved in at least five studies in New York, California, and Oregon. More than 6,000 veteran suicides occur annually despite heavy federal spending on mental health care, officials said in a White House fact sheet accompanying the order. Trump cited a Stanford study where special operations veterans experienced 80 to 90 percent reductions in depression and anxiety symptoms within a month after ibogaine treatment. A veteran at the ceremony told Trump, 'This treatment saved my life... helped me get off opiates... sleep for the first time in over 10 years,' adding he had 'zero' doubt when asked by the president. Trump responded, 'To me, that’s the best research of all.' Joe Rogan recounted texting Trump about ibogaine, with the president replying, 'Sounds great. Do you want FDA approval? Let’s do it.' Luttrell said, 'You’re going to save a lot of lives... it absolutely changed my life for the better.' The order directs the FDA to issue national priority vouchers next week for three psychedelics, enabling reviews in weeks, according to FDA Commissioner Mary Makary. It also expands 'right to try' access, mandates data sharing among agencies, and supports state efforts like those in Texas on ibogaine. Psilocybin and ibogaine are currently Schedule I substances with no accepted medical use, per the DEA, though research has resumed after a halt in the 1960s.
