What Is Ibogaine and Why Is Trump Talking About It?

The journalist Michelle Lhooq joins Tyler Foggatt to discuss her reporting on ibogaine, a psychedelic that has recently been embraced by the right—including President Donald Trump. They talk about the movement to promote research into ibogaine as a treatment for mental illness; the unlikely coalition of drug advocates, Republican politicians, and veterans who helped bring the drug into the political mainstream;  and Trump’s executive order expediting the F.D.A. approval of psychedelic therapies. They also discuss how the politics of psychedelics have shifted over the years, and whether the success of the ibogaine initiative could signal a broader shift toward the acceptance and legalization of more psychedelics and other drugs.

This week’s reading:

• “Are Psychedelics Right-Wing Now?,” by Michelle Lhooq
• “The Delusions of John Roberts,” by Margaret Talbot
• “The Great Delegalization,” by Dara Lind
• “A.I. Is Now a Major Election Issue,” by Benjamin Wallace-Wells
• “An Israeli Satirist’s Bid to Save His Country’s Democracy,” by Bernard Avishai

The Political Scene draws on the reporting and analysis found in The New Yorker for lively conversations about the big questions in American politics. Join the magazine’s writers and editors as they put into context the latest news—about elections, the economy, the White House, the Supreme Court, and much more. New episodes are available three times a week. 

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