White House Push on Intoxicating Hemp Said to Benefit Son-in-Law of Trump's Chief of Staff

The White House is lobbying Congress to delay a ban on intoxicating hemp products, The New York Times is reporting. Among the beneficiaries would be Bret Worley, son-in-law of Susie Wiles, President Trump's chief of staff, The Times says. He is CEO of companies that distribute and sell intoxicating-hemp-derived gummies and vapes such as "Trainwreck" and "Blueberry Cookies."

Despite pushback from some senators, the delay has been tucked into the stopgap spending bill designed to avoid a partial government shutdown before the election.

A White House spokesman said Wiles has not specifically mentioned intoxicating hemp or the ban and 'has never lobbied in favor of this or any other position on hemp with Capitol Hill."

Despite industry claims hemp is safe, the Food & Drug Administration has warned of potential adverse effects including difficulty breathing and coma.

The statutory restrictions, currently set to take effect Nov. 12, would target hemp products containing threshold amounts of THC, the main psychoactive compound in cannabis, effectively outlawing a multimillion-dollar industry of beverages, gummies, cookies and vapes sold in gas stations, vape shops and convenience stores.

The Trump White House doesn't usually push a specific piece of legislation that aligns with the private financial interests of the president, his family or top officials. In most cases, intersections between official White House support and personal benefit have involved regulatory rollbacks, tax code changes or federal financial agreements.