Pres. Trump refused to take a knee-jerk position on efforts to legalize either the use of marijuana by NFL players or nationwide gambling on sports, during an interview with Jim Gray of Westwood One Sports Radio on Super Bowl Sunday.
Regarding medicinal use of marijuana to ease football players’ pain from injury, Trump said he didn’t have an opinion – and wouldn’t have one until the issue rose to “the level of the presidency.”
On the prospect of making sports betting legal nationwide, Trump repeated answered that he wouldn’t take a stance until he got “input” from several interested parties.
GRAY: "Mr. President, the NFL Players Association is fighting to legalize the use of medicinal marijuana for its players. These guys take a physical beating. Would you support them in this fight?"
PRES. TRUMP: "Well, I have no opinion on it. They’re going to have to take a look at that. They’re going to talk with the League, they’re going to be talking to, obviously, government officials wherever it may be. And when it comes up to the level of the presidency I’ll have an opinion."
GRAY: "You know quite a bit, as a former casino owner, and you have a particular insight -- today an estimated $5 billion will be wagered, $4.8 billion, unregulated and untaxed illegally. What is your position and thoughts on making sports gambling legal nationwide?"
PRES. TRUMP: "Well, what I’d do is I’d sit down with the commissioners. I would be talking to them, and we’ll see how they feel about it. Some would not want it, and probably others -- and I’ve read others maybe do. But I would certainly want to get their input and get the input from the various leagues, and we’ll see how they feel about it. I’d also get the input from lots of law enforcement officials, because, obviously, that’s a big step.
"So we wouldn’t do it lightly, I can tell you. It will be studied very carefully. But I would want to have a lot of input from a lot of different people."