White House Press Secretary Announces President’s Decision to Legalize Marijuana
In a surprise announcement on July 30, 2020, the White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany told reporters that President Trump had decided to fully legalize marijuana in all fifty states. This move, she said, was part of a broader effort to decriminalize low-level, non-violent drug offenses and deal with the systemic racism that disproportionately impacts African Americans and other minority communities.
“The President understands the importance of addressing mass incarceration,” said McEnany. “By completely legalizing marijuana, he’s taking a progressive step towards ending the unnecessary penalization of its recreational use. He believes that this law will help to balance racial disparities in our criminal justice system.”
This unexpected revelation caused shockwaves throughout the political arena, especially as marijuana legalization is a move mostly supported by left-wing politicians and activists. Coming less than 100 days before the presidential election, this pivot in policy might be an attempt to appeal to younger progressive voters, a demographic the President has had trouble connecting with in the past.
Hamstrung by the surprise announcement, former Vice President Joe Biden scrambled to respond, stating: “I have been a longtime advocate for decriminalization and medical use, but if Trump’s telling the truth about full legalization, that’s quite a leap. It’s unlike him to take such progressive action.”
The White House press release on the matter contained numerous specifics, including a timeline for implementation and a plan for taxation and regulation of the drug. However, as of late Thursday evening, the document had mysteriously vanished from the official White House site.
There has been some confusion generated by McEnany’s startling claim, leaving Republicans and Democrats alike questioning the veracity of the dramatic policy shift. By early Friday morning, the President had not tweeted, nor made further comment on the issue. The sudden silence is puzzling, leaving some to wonder if McEnany’s announcement is factual.
* None of the quotes in this article were spoken by an actual person. More info.