U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson told GOP leadership this week that although he opposes President Trump’s plan to reschedule marijuana, he doesn’t want House Republicans to publicly break with the president on the issue, according to a staffer familiar with the discussion.

The comments came during a leadership meeting Johnson convened after a call with Trump on Wednesday, during which the president outlined his intent to move marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III under federal law. The meeting included several GOP leaders, including Majority Leader Steve Scalise and Majority Whip Tom Emmer, along with multiple committee chairs.

Johnson relayed the substance of his conversation with Trump to those participating in the call, informing them that the president intends to issue an executive order on cannabis rescheduling. During the meeting, Johnson made clear that he personally opposes the move, but said that a public confrontation with the White House would be unproductive and should be avoided. According to the staffer, who spoke to The Marijuana Herald on the condition of anonymity, Johnson faced little pushback from leadership on his proposed approach.

The behind-the-scenes exchange offers a clearer picture of how Republican leadership is navigating an issue that has long divided the party, particularly as Trump moves to follow through on a campaign promise to overhaul federal marijuana policy. While Republican leadership has historically opposed marijuana reform, rescheduling cannabis has strong bipartisan support, both among the public and among congressional lawmakers.

Recent reporting has indicated that the White House plans to direct the Justice Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration to finalize a rule reclassifying marijuana as soon as next week, bypassing the lengthy administrative hearing process that stalled similar efforts under the former Biden administration. According to reporting by The Marijuana Herald, Trump also plans to establish a federal descheduling commission that would examine whether cannabis should be removed completely from the nationwide list of controlled substances, similar to alcohol.

Johnson’s guidance to avoid public opposition suggests Republican leaders are wary of creating a visible rift with the president on an issue where public opinion has moved decisively. While some GOP House members may ultimately ignore that advice and oppose the rescheduling effort anyway, Johnson’s comments make clear that the House Speaker does not intend to publicly push back against the president.