Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry remains deeply involved in policy work at both the state and federal levels. He sat down with Josh Hinkle for the June 15, 2025, edition of State of Texas to discuss his latest efforts.
Perry is pushing for more research into ibogaine, a psychedelic compound believed to help veterans struggling with PTSD and addiction.
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On Tuesday, Gov. Greg Abbott signed legislation investing $50 million into clinical ibogaine research. Among those standing behind him was Bryan Hubbard, who leads the American Ibogaine Initiative. Hubbard worked closely with Perry to gain lawmakers’ support.
“I came to commit myself to doing whatever was necessary to advance a therapeutic that can restore the mind, body and spirit of an individual who has been walled off in the isolation of addiction,” Hubbard said ahead of the signing.
Perry praised Hubbard’s leadership.
“Brian Hubbard is just the absolute genius on this,” Perry said. “He has the experience, the knowledge, the understanding of how to run these clinical trials. And from my perspective, that’s the real key here.”
Perry and Hubbard are teaming up to expand clinical trials nationwide. They co-founded a nonprofit called Americans for Ibogaine. Perry noted that veteran Marcus Luttrell serves on the board.
“There are a lot of other states that are going to be interested in this, and that’s going to give us the ability to really expand the clinical trials across the country,” Perry said. He hopes trial data will help reclassify ibogaine from Schedule 1 to Schedule 3, which could make it more accessible for medical use.
“I was very skeptical at first, but I was open-minded, I listened, I studied, and I came to believe that it is the or could be a major, widespread solution for a lot of issues that we face in this country,” Perry said. “Not only the PTSD and what we put our war fighters through for the last 20 years, but for addictions, for some of the neurodegenerative diseases of Parkinson’s, MS, potentially Alzheimer’s and dementia.”
“God bless Texas for getting behind this and for making it a reality in the Lone Star State,” he added.
Perry also reflected on a recent federal court decision striking down the Texas Dream Act, which he signed into law in 2001. The act allowed certain undocumented students to pay in-state tuition at public colleges and universities. He defended the law during a 2011 Republican presidential debate.
“If you say that we should not educate children who have come into our state for no other reason than they have been brought there by no fault of their own, I don’t think you have a heart,” Perry said during the debate, drawing applause.
But his stance has shifted. Perry now points to frustration with the Biden administration’s border policies as a reason public opinion has changed.
“They basically had an open border policy,” he said. “That has tainted everything all across this country, and I think it made it easy for people to stand up and say, look, what was a thoughtful approach to how we deal with people who don’t have the legal right to be in this country 25 years ago to today is completely different.”
He believes programs like the Dream Act are unlikely to return until immigration issues are addressed.
“The American people basically said, you know what, until we get that fixed, these other programs are not going to go forward. And I will tell you, I think that’s probably the proper way,” he said.
Perry also supported Gov. Abbott’s decision to deploy the National Guard during recent protests across Texas.
“I think Governor Abbott made the right decision. His job is to keep the citizens of the state safe, and if these protesters, although they have the right to free speech, we get that. But once they cross that line and get into destroying property or putting people’s lives in jeopardy, then that’s different,” Perry said.
Speaking via Zoom from his office in Fayette County, Perry appeared in front of a Texas A&M banner and a shelf filled with Aggieland yearbooks. He shared thoughts on the leadership transition at the Texas A&M University System, as State Comptroller Glenn Hegar prepares to succeed Chancellor John Sharp.
“Before I talk about Glenn, let me say that John Sharp did an incredible job in his 14 years of being the chancellor,” Perry said. “In the history of the school, back all the way to 1876, I will suggest to you there has been no one who has elevated Texas A&M any more.”
“Chancellor Hegar is a fine young man who’s got a great history as House member, Senator, Comptroller, and now the chancellor of the Texas A&M system,” he added. “I suspect that he will carry the banner high, do a great job and keep the University of Texas and Texas A & M playing football. That’s really important,” Perry said with a smile.
