President Trump just did something that could change the lives of thousands of suffering American veterans. And he had one of the biggest names in media standing right next to him when he did it. On Saturday, the President signed a landmark executive order in the Oval Office directing the FDA to fast-track research into psychedelic therapies for treating PTSD, traumatic brain injuries, and severe depression. The ceremony included Health Secretary RFK Jr., retired Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell, Rep. Morgan Luttrell (R-TX), and podcast giant Joe Rogan. More than 6,000 American veterans die by suicide every year. The current treatment options have failed too many of them. This executive order opens the door to therapies that have already shown incredible results overseas but have been locked behind bureaucratic red tape for decades. The White House posted video of the ceremony, featuring Rogan delivering a powerful statement about what this moment means: Accelerating Medical Treatments for Serious Mental Illness@JoeRogan: "For 56 years we've lived under those terrible conditions. We're free of that now. Thanks to all these people… and thanks to President Trump." https://t.co/j1tkGACSM7 pic.twitter.com/aQmZl3z4PG— The White House (@WhiteHouse) April 18, 2026 “For 56 years we’ve lived under those terrible conditions. We’re free of that now.” That’s Joe Rogan, visibly moved, thanking President Trump for finally cutting through the red tape that has blocked these treatments since the 1970s. The executive order specifically targets drugs like ibogaine, psilocybin, MDMA, and LSD that have been designated as “breakthrough therapies” by the FDA. President Trump cited a 2024 Stanford University study showing that 30 special operations veterans with traumatic brain injuries experienced an 80 to 90 percent reduction in symptoms of depression and anxiety within just one month of ibogaine treatment. Health Secretary RFK Jr. laid out exactly what the order will accomplish: Thanks to the leadership of President Trump, under this historic Executive Order, @HHSGov will accelerate research, approval, and access to new mental health treatments, including psychedelic therapies such as ibogaine. pic.twitter.com/ZiUl5IaoBL— Secretary Kennedy (@SecKennedy) April 18, 2026 The numbers are staggering. According to RFK Jr., more than 14 million Americans currently live with serious mental illness. The existing treatments, for far too many, simply aren’t working. This executive order commits $50 million to ibogaine research and opens a pathway for seriously ill patients to access ibogaine under the federal Right to Try law. Fox News reported on the details of the signing: President Trump signed an executive order directing the FDA to expedite review of psychedelics already designated as breakthrough therapy drugs, with a focus on treating veterans’ mental health conditions. The order aims to “dramatically accelerate access to new medical research and treatments based on psychedelic drugs,” Trump said, emphasizing that these experimental treatments “have shown life-changing potential for those suffering from severe mental illness.” The federal government is committing $50 million to ibogaine research, matching a commitment previously made by Texas. The order also opens a pathway for ibogaine administration under the Right to Try law, removes what the administration calls “unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles,” and improves data sharing between the FDA and Department of Veterans Affairs. Rep. Morgan Luttrell, a Texas Republican and combat veteran who has personally undergone ibogaine treatment, put it in the most human terms possible: “It changed my life, and I look forward to seeing the impact it will have on countless others. We’re losing too many veterans. If this treatment gives us a chance to change that, we owe it to them to try.” VA Secretary Doug Collins also weighed in, making clear that the administration sees this as a critical piece of a much larger strategy: Thank you, President Trump. We need an all-of-the-above strategy when it comes to tackling mental health, and your EO opens up new possibilities for America's Veterans. https://t.co/OOqKuWd6C2— VA Secretary Doug Collins (@SecVetAffairs) April 18, 2026 KOMO News provided additional details on the scope of the order: The executive order instructs the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to prioritize and fast-track applications for treatments that have shown early promise for PTSD, as well as conditions such as depression and other mental health disorders. It leverages the FDA’s “breakthrough therapy” designation to shorten timelines for reaching patients. The order also directs the Attorney General to work with HHS on rescheduling reviews after successful Phase 3 clinical trials on psychedelics, so that rescheduling may proceed as quickly as practicable for approved products. The drugs will remain classified as Schedule I substances for now, meaning they’re still illegal outside of clinical settings. But the FDA has already approved the first ibogaine investigational new drug clearance, paving the way for the first-ever human trials in the United States. This is President Trump doing what he does best: cutting through decades of government inaction and bureaucratic paralysis to help the people who need it most. Our veterans have been failed by the system for too long. If these treatments can deliver even a fraction of the results that the Stanford study showed, this executive order could end up saving thousands of lives.