April 21, 2026

What Trump’s new executive order and planned actions on psychedelics

What Trump’s new executive order and planned actions on psychedelics

President Trump has announced what he’s calling “historic reforms” to dramatically accelerate access to new medical research and treatments based on psychedelic drugs—directing the FDA to fast‑track review of certain breakthrough‑therapy psychedelics and signaling new support for ibogaine and other compounds to treat PTSD, depression, and addiction, especially among veterans. As these reforms move from press conference to reality, the missing voice in most coverage is the combat veteran who has lived this crisis and now works on the front lines of suicide prevention.

 

I’d like to offer you Eric Lionheart, a highly decorated Air Force Combat Controller and founder of the First There Foundation, as a guest to discuss what these psychedelic reforms could actually mean for veterans and their families. Eric earned two Bronze Stars, including one with Valor, for heroism during a four‑hour firefight in Afghanistan—and later founded First There after losing teammates to suicide and hearing another call him in crisis. His nonprofit now supports Combat Controllers, veterans, first responders, U.S. allies, and their families as they navigate the invisible wounds of war.

 

With the president directing federal agencies to boost psychedelic research and potentially open pathways for therapies like MDMA‑assisted psychotherapy, psilocybin, and ibogaine, Eric can speak to both the hope and the hard questions: Are these reforms really designed around what veterans need, or are they more political theater? Will expedited FDA review and VA participation actually get life‑saving treatments into clinics—or will red tape, stigma, and lack of training keep veterans in the same broken system?

 

Eric can address:

 

  • What Trump’s new executive order and planned actions on psychedelics could practically change for veterans battling PTSD, depression, and addiction today.
  • Why so many veterans are already leaving the country to seek ibogaine and other psychedelic‑adjacent treatments in unregulated clinics abroad—and what risks they’re taking to find relief.
  • How veteran‑focused nonprofits like First There are filling gaps left by the government, and what safeguards, screening, and follow‑up support would be needed if psychedelic therapies are integrated into mainstream care.
  • What he’s hearing directly from the veteran community about psychedelics: hope, skepticism, spiritual concerns, and the fear of being used as test subjects rather than full partners in their own care.

Possible Segment Angles

  • “Are Trump’s Psychedelic Reforms a Turning Point for Veteran PTSD—or Another False Promise?”
  • “From Afghanistan to Psychedelic Medicine: Why Combat Controller Eric Lionheart Says ‘Some Therapies Can’t Wait.’”
  • “Ibogaine and the New War on Veteran Suicide: What Trump’s Order Gets Right and What’s Missing.”

Eric is a strong, plain‑spoken guest who can move easily between policy and personal experience—from the realities of combat and survivor’s guilt, to how we should evaluate psychedelic therapies ethically, medically, and morally. He’s available for [live/remote] interviews.

Guest Info
Eric Lionheart

Eric Lionheart

U.S. Air Force Combat Controller (Ret). Eric has an extensive law enforcement background which includes force protection and criminal investigations. Retired U.S. Air Force Combat Controller with frontline special operations experience. President of the First There Foundation, focused on eradicating suicide among Air Force Combat Controllers. Extensive law enforcement background, including force protection and criminal investigations. Served on an Air Force police SWAT team (EST – Emergency Services Team). Experienced in border security work and security operations across Texas and the southern U.S. Worked alongside Secret Service agents in San Antonio on protection missions for Air Force One and other high‑level assets.

Full Bio
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