During a June 4, 2025 appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, 75-year-old Miami Vice star Don Johnson made startling revelations about his experiences with former U.S. presidents, including smoking marijuana in the White House and gambling with a former commander-in-chief.
The conversation began when host Jimmy Kimmel presented Johnson with a photograph from 1975 showing him with former President Jimmy Carter, Chuck Leavell and Dickey Betts at an Allman Brothers concert. Johnson responded that he didn’t remember the photo but acknowledged that participants were under the influence of marijuana, quickly clarifying he wasn’t referring to Carter specifically.
Johnson revealed he developed a close relationship with Carter after working with the Allman Brothers on a concert during the 1976 presidential campaign. The collaboration led to an invitation to the White House, where Johnson indicated the real festivities began.
When Kimmel referenced Willie Nelson’s documented marijuana use at the White House during Carter’s presidency, specifically on the building’s roof in the 1970s, he directly asked Johnson if he had similar experiences. Johnson appeared momentarily flustered before confirming he had indeed smoked marijuana at the presidential residence. Johnson stated, “I don’t know how to answer this. Well, yes … I guess I did.”
The actor disclosed that he has visited the White House under every sitting president since Carter held office, demonstrating his continued access to the nation’s highest political circles across multiple administrations.
Johnson also shared details about his friendship with former President George H.W. Bush, describing their relationship during the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, where Johnson represented the United States alongside the president. He characterized Bush as fantastic and praised him as a great individual.
While Johnson confirmed that Bush was not involved with marijuana use, he revealed the former president had a different recreational interest: gambling. Johnson recounted that Bush wanted to wager money during their golf games at Camp David, the presidential retreat in Maryland.
Johnson indicated he successfully won money from the former president during these gambling sessions, describing Bush as a trash talker who encountered an equally competitive opponent. The actor specified that the amounts were modest, totaling approximately 18 or 20 dollars, but emphasized the unique nature of winning money from a sitting president.
The revelations came during a wide-ranging interview where Johnson also discussed attending New York Knicks games, meeting tennis legend John McEnroe, and his recent Netflix project Rebel Ridge. The conversation highlighted Johnson’s long-standing connections to political figures and his access to exclusive presidential social circles.
Johnson’s marijuana admission connects to documented incidents from the Carter era, when country music star Willie Nelson famously smoked marijuana at the White House. Nelson initially wrote in his autobiography that he shared marijuana with a White House employee, but Carter later clarified in the 2020 documentary “Jimmy Carter: Rock & Roll President” that Nelson’s companion was actually his son, James Earl “Chip” Carter III.
The actor’s casual discussion of illegal drug use at the nation’s most secure government facility and gambling with a former president offers a glimpse into the informal relationships between Hollywood celebrities and political leaders during the late 20th century.
Johnson’s appearance on the late-night talk show generated significant audience reaction, with viewers responding positively to his candid revelations about presidential interactions. The interview demonstrated how entertainment figures maintained personal relationships with political leaders across different administrations.
