Multiple social-media posts circulating ahead of the anticipated government shutdown in the United States have claimed that President Donald Trump intends to shut down all liquor stores and impose a nationwide ban on cannabis – also known as weed – effective November 1. According to a fact-check by the Hindustan Times, these claims are unverified and legally implausible.
The viral message, widely shared on platforms including Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and Threads, reads: “Trump said he closing ALL liquor stores & banning weed after Nov 1st.” It has attracted reactions ranging from incredulous to sarcastic, such as “Well let me gone ahead and hit up the liquor store” and “Close a liquor store down and see wtf happen Donald…”
In its analysis, the Hindustan Times article notes there has been no official announcement from the US government or the White House indicating any plan to shutter liquor stores or institute a nationwide weed ban with effect from November 1. Moreover, a closer look at US constitutional and federal-state legal frameworks reveals that such a sweeping action by the president would be highly unlikely.
For alcohol, the 21st Amendment to the US Constitution explicitly grants states the power to regulate or prohibit alcoholic beverages within their jurisdiction for health or safety reasons. In other words, a nationwide order by the president closing all liquor stores would require sweeping changes to federal and state law — not something feasible through executive action alone, especially amid a government shutdown.
With respect to cannabis, while it remains illegal under federal law, there has been no official policy change or announcement indicating that the president or the administration will move to enforce a full-scale federal ban of “weed” beginning November 1. The article further mentions that the rumor appears to have gained traction only in recent days and lacks any credible documentation or statement from authorised government entities.
Interestingly, the article ties the spread of these claims to the looming risk of a federal government shutdown in the US and the associated uncertainty over benefits. Specifically, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced that food-aid benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will not be distributed on November 1 due to lack of contingency funding — a development that has amplified public anxiety and perhaps contributed to the online speculation.
