MAGA firebrand Matt Gaetz could pocket more than $2 million for a marijuana company for using his Trumpworld contacts, an embarrassing leak has revealed.
A photo of a document on Gaetz’s laptop suggested the president’s failed pick for attorney general has been offered a lucrative contract by cannabis giant Trulieve to provide “legal representation, consulting [and] administration-related guidance.”
There are no details on the “administration-related guidance” in question but Gaetz is close to President Donald Trump, who publicly praised the ex-congressman despite the scandals that brought down his career. The image from his laptop was leaked by the same person who posted a video on TikTok taken from the plane seat behind Gaetz earlier this week, showing him arguing with his mom on text about how to deal with Trump.
The TikTok user also posted a photograph of the contract offer in the comments under the original video with the caption: “Gigantic font. No privacy screen on his phone, NOR ON HIS LAPTOP.”
The video showed a real-time text exchange between Gaetz and his mom, who warned him he had to avoid criticizing Trump over Iran. “Don’t be criticizing the president or his actions,” Vicky Gaetz texted.
“MAGA will turn on you,” she warned. “The president has been a very good friend to you. He hates betrayal. Be smart, not stubborn.”
Gaetz replied “I’m trying to guide him, not criticize him. Guiding DJT always includes a private and public component. I know how to do it.”
Gaetz confirmed the clip was real and added, Please let this be a reminder to everyone to CALL YOUR MOTHER!”
Apparently someone sitting behind me on a flight recorded me without my knowledge. They found me texting my mother about news of the day, family finances, and working on my laptop. Please let this be a reminder to everyone to CALL YOUR MOTHER! (and maybe get a screen…
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) June 24, 2025
The additional leaked picture, however, suggests that “guiding DJT” could be lucrative. It shows that Gaetz would be entitled to $250,000 “if the MATTER resolves,” and then an “additional ‘Super Success Fee’” for “exclusive policy remedies.” The fee is only partially shown in the video, but it begins “2,00…” and is highly unlikely to be only $2,000.
Neither Gaetz nor Trulieve responded to requests for comment from the Daily Beast.
The “counsel agreement” from Trulieve appears to suggest the ex-politician would be paid an unspecified “initial non-refundable” fee upon his “commencement of representation” with America’s second-largest marijuana company, which is worth around $660 million.
While it is unclear what the “matter” to be resolved or the “Super Success” involves, it could be related to the mooted downgrading of marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule III drug, for which Gaetz lobbied in late March in a Tampa Bay Times op-ed, or even full legalization, which he has previously supported. Trump has cast himself as a weed champion, saying he would classify it as Schedule III—still opposing full federal legalization but backing safe-banking reforms, states’ rights and “research to unlock medical uses.” However, after Trump took office, the Drug Enforcement Administration effectively put a previous proposal by Pres. Joe Biden to downgrade marijuana on hold.
In the opinion piece, Gaetz said that the reclassification was “on the horizon thanks to President Donald Trump and his leadership in supporting the rescheduling of cannabis from a Schedule I drug to a Schedule III drug.” There is no suggestion that when Gaetz wrote the op-ed he had been paid by Truelieve. He did not declare any interest in that, or any other, weed company in his opinion piece.
The contract highlights the potential for individuals close to Trump to cash in on their relationship with him.
Gaetz, whose career began as a lawyer, pulled out of the running to become Trump’s attorney general while he was the subject of a House Ethics probe into whether he had paid up to $10,000 to have sex with people, including a 17-year-old girl while he was in his 30s. Testimony from the woman alleged that Gaetz had sex with her when she was a teenager on an air-hockey table while the host of a house party watched. Gaetz has denied any criminality.
Trump’s pick eventually withdrew after CNN reported that the woman, who was 17 at the time, told investigators that she also had sex with Gaetz on a second occasion.
An attorney representing two women claimed that Gaetz had taken part in up to 10 orgies where illegal drugs were taken during his first term as a congressman. Gaetz admits that he partied too hard at the time, but says it was “embarrassing, though not criminal.”
Gaetz has long been a supporter of the medical cannabis industry. He said he previously “introduced legislation to legalize marijuana because I understood that our outdated federal policies were failing patients, veterans and businesses.”
Gaetz’s political career has taken a downturn since he was reportedly in line to be appointed attorney general in a second Trump administration but was forced last year to stand down after resurfaced allegations involving sex and drugs.
The controversy centered on a federal investigation into whether Gaetz had sex with a minor and paid for her travel—allegations he has denied and for which no charges were ultimately filed.
But the scandal made him politically radioactive, leading Trump to quietly drop the idea of appointing him. He has since set himself up as a MAGA-supporting media figure.
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