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Trump to Sign Executive Order Reclassifying Marijuana; Trump Makes the Case for his Administration's Economic Success; Trump Blames Biden for Economic Woes; Brian Walshe Sentenced to Life Without Parole. Aired 10:30-11a ET

Aired December 18, 2025 - 10:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[10:30:00]

PAMELA BROWN, CNN ANCHOR: Happening today, President Trump is expected to sign an executive order on marijuana, and it would reclassify marijuana as a low-risk substance. The order would ease federal restrictions, but it would not mean full legalization.

CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta joins us now. I mean, Sanjay, no one better to talk to you than you on this. You have done multiple documentaries on this topic. So, tell us, how is marijuana classified now, and what is changing?

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I mean, this is something people have been talking about for a long time. So, there's a schedule of controlled substances, Schedule 1 through Schedule 5. Schedule 1 is the least permissive, most restrictive, and that is where cannabis has been for some time.

And put this up on the screen, because I want you to see the specific language here. It says in the top line there, no currently accepted medical use. And that's something that people in the medical community have been really focused on, because the belief has been that there is medical use. They also say high potential for abuse. And to give context, they put it in the same category as heroin, LSD, and ecstasy.

What may happen today, we'll see. We're expecting this later on this afternoon, is that cannabis could go to a Schedule 3 instead, which is moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence. And examples that are similar, ketamine, steroids, testosterone. So, it does not say no medical use in Schedule 3. And again, I think that that's probably the most important thing here, one of the most important distinctions between Schedule 1 and Schedule 3 from a medical standpoint.

It doesn't mean it's not still scheduled. It's still a controlled substance. You can't go buy it over the counter at gas stations and things like that. But the idea that for the first time in a long time, it would have this acknowledged medical benefit to people, I think that's one of the big changes here.

BROWN: And there's still that divide, right, between the federal regulation of it and the different states with their laws. But overall, on the federal front, what are the implications for the research of marijuana? Can you explain more on the medical purposes with this reclassification?

DR. GUPTA: Yes. First of all, on your first point, it is a total patchwork in this country and really, really challenging for people who use cannabis as a medicine in some states and then they may need to travel to a different state and maybe sort of get in trouble as people trafficking drugs. It's wild. That may change. Some of that may change as a result of this.

But I think the big thing is that people have understandably always asked for evidence in terms of the medical benefits of cannabis, understandably. But at the same time, it was already preordained as having no medicinal benefit. So, I don't know if this makes sense, but there was a real hypocrisy here. You're asking for evidence, but you've already said it has no medical benefit by scheduling it as a Schedule I. That may change.

I think it will be easier for researchers to do research on this because there's not this preordained notion that it already has no medicinal benefit. And I think it may free up research dollars, make it easier for patients to obtain cannabis as a medicine. We will see all the sort of ripple effects of something like this.

BROWN: And I know you've done these documentaries. You've talked to so many people. What have you found in terms of the potential medical benefits of marijuana?

DR. GUPTA: You know, I've got to say, when I walked into this more than a decade ago, I wasn't that convinced in terms of the medical benefits of cannabis. I started to spend a lot of time with patients. There's a little girl named Charlotte Figge (ph) who I got really close to. You see her there. She had intractable seizures, hundreds of seizures a week, tried everything, eventually tried a cannabis extract, CBD, and it really helped her. It really helped her. And she was emblematic, Pamela, of so many other kids. It wasn't just one child. She was representative of so many other people who were getting these medical benefits.

So, I've seen that over time. And then when you saw research that was being published in other countries and in non-federally funded labs, a different picture of the medicinal benefit of cannabis started to emerge. So, I think the evidence is pretty clear. And what may happen today, and for many people in this field, has been a long time coming.

[10:35:00]

BROWN: All right. Dr. Sanjay Gupta, always great to talk to you. Thank you so much.

DR. GUPTA: You got it.

BROWN: We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) BROWN: Well, the health care debate on Capitol Hill is just part of Americans' broader cost-of-living concerns. Last night, President Trump made the case for his administration's economic success and repeatedly blamed his predecessor.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: 11 months ago, I inherited a mess and I'm fixing it. This is what the Biden administration allowed to happen to our country.

[10:40:00]

Under the Biden administration, car prices rose 22 percent, and in many states 30 percent or more. Under Biden, real wages plummeted by $3,000. Electricity costs surged 30 percent to 100 percent under Biden. The worst thing that the Biden administration did to our country is the invasion at the border.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: The president also celebrated his tariff policy and announced a so-called warrior dividend for people in the military. Joining us now are CNN chief political analyst and former senior advisor to President Obama, David Axelrod, and CNN political commentator and Republican strategist, Shermichael Singleton. All right, great to see you both.

I want to start with you, Shermichael, to start big picture. What were your takeaways from the speech and how would you grade it?

SHERMICHAEL SINGLETON, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR AND REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: I think it was, one, a recognition that the American people are still filling an economy that's slowly recovering but moving in the right direction. And I think, two, the president clearly is looking at the political landscape. Democrats have won 30-plus special elections. We had recent elections several weeks ago where Democrats ran on the message of the economy in places like New Jersey, my State of Virginia, and even New York with Mr. Mamdani.

And so, to me this was a smart play to, one, remind people of just how bad the economy actually was with the last president. Real earnings were indeed down about 4 percent. They have now outpaced inflation by 1.6 percent. That's a very positive thing. We just saw the numbers today, 2.6 percent inflation. That showcases real stability. You look at the bond market, you see real stability there, which means the market, generally speaking, is calm relative to where it was earlier this year.

And so, all indicators for major corporations as well as the hardworking American person suggest that next year is going to be good for the American people. I think the president did the right thing by painting that broad picture of the past, present, and what the future may look like.

BROWN: Right. And just to correct, it's equal to 2.7 percent. But economists are saying it doesn't have the full picture with the data because of the shutdown and everything.

SINGLETON: The shutdown.

BROWN: But certainly -- right. So, David, I want to go to you. What about you? What stood out to you?

DAVID AXELROD, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL ANALYST AND FORMER SENIOR ADVISER TO PRESIDENT OBAMA: Well, look, Shermichael's a very bright guy. And so, he knows that, yes, it's true the president should be addressing people's very, very obvious concerns about the cost-of-living. But you can't do that by denying their lived experience. The fact is that people are -- you see it in poll after poll after poll. You see it in interview after interview. You can see it -- you can hear it talking to neighbors and friends. People are pressed by the cost-of-living increases. Inflation is -- you know, we'll see. One hopes that there is a sustained reduction in inflation and that this isn't just a blip.

But the fact is, it's pretty much where it was when the president took office. And you can't tell people what they don't experience in their day to day lives. It's a big political mistake. And if you don't believe that, ask Joe Biden. He did the same thing. He told people we've been really successful. We've, you know -- and, you know, everything's good. And, you know, Bidenomics is a is a miracle.

The fact is, you know, to Shermichael's point about how it was smart to blame the last administration and tell people how bad it was, the Fox Business poll came out in the last few days, I think, that said, by 62 to 31, people believe the president of the United States, who's in office now, is responsible for the current economy, not the last president.

So, Harry Truman had a thing on his desk, Pam, that said the buck stops here. The president should have one on his desk saying the buck stops there. People want the president of the United States to take responsibility and they want some empathy for what they're going through. And he did neither last night. And I think it was a political mistake.

BROWN: And we know, Shermichael, that the president is all about marketing and sales, right? But what is the risk of sending the message that he's out of touch with the everyday American as what happened with President Biden, who didn't acknowledge the weaknesses in the economy at the time that Americans were really feeling it? I want to play this clip from President Trump, who also didn't acknowledge any weaknesses on the economy. Let's hear more of what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: I am bringing those high prices down and bringing them down very fast. Much of this success has been accomplished by tariffs. My favorite word, tariffs. They're building factories and plants at levels we haven't seen. A.I., automobiles. We're doing what nobody thought was even possible.

One year ago, our country was dead. We were absolutely dead. Our country was ready to fail. Totally fail. Now, we're the hottest country anywhere in the world.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[10:45:00]

BROWN: And there's this new Fox News poll out that just found that 39 percent of voters approve of his handling of the economy, while 58 percent say the Trump administration is focused on the wrong things.

Shermichael, do you really think the president's speech did enough to address those concerns and convey to the American people that he is in touch with their pain over the economy? And also, as part of that, the looming health care premiums that are expected to go up?

SINGLETON: Yes, which certainly wouldn't necessarily be good for my party if millions of Americans are having to pay more on a monthly basis. Look, David is right. Traditional orthodoxy would tell you as a strategist, you want to sort of feel people's pain, right? As James Carville said, it's always the economy's stupid. I think it's still the economy in 2025 and will be in 2026.

I think that President Trump, though, in an unorthodox way, attempted to be more forward-looking, perhaps even more aspirational about the economic outlook. And I don't think that's necessarily a negative, particularly when I compare that to what the American people may view coming from the other side, that being my Democratic friends, particularly at the congressional level, where there is a net negative approval of 61 points among independents.

And so, as I'm assessing this thing, yes, David is correct. There are certainly still some vulnerabilities for the Republican Party. If the economy strengthens next year, as I predict it will, the indicators are suggesting that will be the case. That's a good thing. The president talked about in his speech addressing the housing issue and concern about affordability and access to more housing for younger people, middle-aged people. That's another positive thing for the American public. So, you compare those things to what is potentially to come compared to what my Democratic friends are proposing.

And I'm willing to say this, I think the odds are more favorable for Republicans to, at a minimum, perform a lot more better come midterms next year than what some Democrats may be hoping for based on this sort of broad general landscape. So, I'm looking at this not with rosy eyes, but certainly I'm more positive than what I was three months ago, Pamela.

BROWN: All right, David, I have to ask you this because we don't have much more time. But I got to ask you about the plaques that the White House redid under the presidential portraits, including President Obama, criticizing him, criticizing President Biden, saying he was the worst president in history. What do you think about this move as someone who worked in the White House under Obama, David?

AXELROD: Yes. Look, first of all, I'd say just on the last point, and it leads into this one, the president says his favorite word is tariffs. I think people would say dignity, responsibility, empathy, character. Those are words he should explore.

This is not how the president of the United States should be spending his time. People have real concerns in their lives. The White House boasted that he actually wrote the inscriptions trolling his predecessors. Is this how he -- this is how he's spending his time? It's mind boggling. And, you know, ask yourself, is this now a new tradition? Are we going to have every president trolling his predecessors on the walls of the people's White House?

He's just a tenant there. He doesn't own the place. He wants to do that. Do it over Trump Tower. Don't do it at the White House. You know, I think it's disturbing to think about how this guy is spending his time.

BROWN: Shermichael, does David have a point?

SINGLETON: I mean, look, I think there's a number of successes economically. I think there will be successes next year. I think there's a number of successes on immigration. So, I think the point that David is making is a wise one. Focus on all the good things. Address the real problems, as David alluded in his initial response, that Americans are still reeling for affordability. There still is some sort of economic dislocation among certain sectors of our population. Address those things.

You know, I get the president likes to be a little petty sometimes and some folks in his base sort of like that aspect of him. But I think there's some very real things that Republicans can focus on. And there's a lot more to do. And we certainly don't want to give that advent advantage to our Democratic opponents.

BROWN: All right. Shermichael Singleton, David Axelrod, great conversation. Thank you both.

AXELROD: Thanks, Pamela.

SINGLETON: Thanks, Pam.

AXELROD: Happy holidays.

BROWN: Coming up -- happy holidays. And coming up, life in prison, no chance of parole. The emotional moments in court as convicted murderer Brian Walshe learns his fate.

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[10:50:00]

BROWN: And new this morning, Brian Walshe has just learned he will spend the rest of his life in prison with no chance for parole for the 2023 murder of his wife, Ana. The judge read out the sentence last hour. I want to bring in CNN's Jean Casarez, who has been all over this case. So, Jean, what was your reaction to this sentence?

JEAN CASAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, we knew the verdict was first degree murder, and under Massachusetts law, it is mandatory life without the possibility of parole. So, I think today one of the things we were waiting for, for the victim impact statement, what this death of Ana Walshe meant to those close to her.

First of all, there were three young children, 2, 4, and 6, when this all happened. They are now wards of the state with a foster family. It's believed in the area. And the Department of Children and Families actually got a victim impact statement that was impounded. It was not read to the court in -- but given to the judge, of the impact on them. But then Ana's sister, Aleksandra, who had traveled to Massachusetts, took the stand, the witness stand, and gave a compelling victim impact statement.

[10:55:00]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALEKSANDRA DIMITRIJEVIC, ANA WALSHE'S SISTER: Ana was not just my sister. She was someone I grew up with, someone who knew me in ways no one else ever will. I struggle with the grief that comes without warning, hoping every morning that this is all just a terrible dream.

The most painful part of this loss is knowing her children must now grow up without their mother's hand to hold. They now face a lifetime of milestones, big and small, where her absence will be deeply and painfully felt. Because of the circumstances of my sister's death, we were denied the opportunity to say a final goodbye and to observe our customs, adding a layer of profound, unfinished grief to our loss.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CASAREZ: Brian Walshe murdered his wife. He lied to police, saying this was a missing persons case. And then he dismembered his wife, and the body has never been found. The judge in sentencing him said his acts were barbaric.

BROWN: Yes. All right. Jean Cazares, thank you so much. We appreciate it.

Coming up here in the Situation Room, the U.S. strikes another alleged drug trafficking boat, killing four people. What we're learning in the next hour of the Situation Room.

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