President Donald Trump has signed an executive order instructing the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to accelerate the review process for certain psychedelic drugs, including ibogaine, which have shown promise as psychotherapeutic catalysts. The order also allocates at least $50 million from existing funds to state programs investigating the potential of these substances.

According to podcaster Joe Rogan, who endorsed Trump in the 2024 election and played a role in popularizing psychedelic research, Trump responded enthusiastically after Rogan shared information about ibogaine, saying, "Sounds great. Do you want FDA approval? Let's do it."

The FDA is tasked with collaborating with the Department of Veterans Affairs on clinical trials. The executive order highlights the rising U.S. suicide rate over the past two decades, noting that "veterans often suffer in greater measure from this tragedy." Former Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell, whose memoir inspired the film Lone Survivor, praised the order, stating, "You're going to save a lot of lives with it."

In line with the order, then–FDA Commissioner Marty Makary announced approval of the first human trial of ibogaine in the U.S., testing it as a potential treatment for alcohol use disorder. Other psychedelics, such as psilocybin and MDMA, are further along in development. Six days after the order, the FDA issued national priority vouchers for psilocybin as a treatment for depression and methylone, a compound similar to MDMA, for post-traumatic stress disorder.

Legislators including Texas's Dan Crenshaw and Utah lawmakers have supported funding and research into ibogaine and psychedelic therapies in recent years.

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