US gov spotted with Willie - and his weed

Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe has been in the picture - with country star Will Nelson and his stash of marijuana.

Posing for pictures is part of every US governor's job. Posing with a can of marijuana - not so much.

But Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe did just that, inadvertently, when he went to greet country music legend Willie Nelson on the weekend.

A picture posted on Twitter shows McAuliffe and Nelson, who was performing in Virginia. On the table between them is a can of Willie's Reserve, Nelson's brand of marijuana that's sold in Colorado and Washington. Marijuana possession is illegal in Virginia.

McAuliffe Spokesman Brian Coy said the governor spent about 10 minutes in Nelson's trailer and didn't realise what was on the table.

Coy said McAuliffe wouldn't recognise marijuana or paraphernalia "if it walked up and shook his hand".

Coy said McAuliffe may be cool, "but he's not that cool".