US Justice Department Reverses Key Gun Restrictions
The US Justice Department has reversed several major gun control measures, including reinstating the so-called “gun show loophole,” which permits individuals to purchase firearms at gun shows without undergoing a background check.
The policy changes were announced by acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and represent a significant shift in firearm regulations favored by second amendment advocates, a group strongly represented among supporters of former President Donald Trump.
Blanche stated that the revisions align gun regulations with recent Supreme Court rulings and reduce bureaucratic burdens on firearms sellers and owners. He described the package of reforms as the “most comprehensive regulatory reform package in the history” of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Background on the Gun Show Loophole and Previous Administration Actions
In 2024, the Biden administration had closed the “gun show loophole,” which previously exempted firearms dealers from conducting background checks on buyers at gun shows and other venues outside traditional retail stores. The administration required anyone “engaged in the business” of selling firearms for profit to obtain a federal firearms license (FFL) and to conduct background checks regardless of whether sales occurred at gun shows, online, or in person.
Gun rights organizations and several Republican-led states challenged the Biden-era rule in court, arguing that it infringed upon the constitutional right to bear arms and that President Joe Biden lacked the authority to enact such regulations.
Statements from Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche
“For too long, regulations were written without any real understanding of how firearms businesses operate, how lawful gun owners handle their firearms, or what truly improves public safety,”
Blanche said, emphasizing the intent to better tailor regulations to the realities of gun ownership and commerce.
Additional Regulatory Changes
The new policy package also includes rescinding a 2023 rule that restricted the use of pistol braces—attachments that allow a shooter to stabilize a pistol against their shoulder similarly to a rifle. This rule had already been invalidated by a federal court.
“Nothing we are doing today weakens law enforcement,”
Blanche added, addressing concerns about public safety and law enforcement capabilities.
Reactions from Gun Control Advocates
Gun control organizations criticized the administration’s rollback, accusing it of catering to gun rights activists and predicting that the changes would reduce public safety.
“Four days after the nation watched gunfire break out at the White House correspondents’ dinner, the Trump administration’s answer is to gut commonsense gun safety laws and sabotage the only federal agency dedicated to keeping guns out of criminal hands,”
said John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety.
In a fundraising email, Everytown for Gun Safety reiterated its position, stating that Trump’s approach to gun violence involved efforts to “gut commonsense gun safety laws and sabotage the only federal agency dedicated to keeping guns out of criminal hands.”
Leadership Changes at the ATF
The regulatory changes coincided with the US Senate’s confirmation of a new ATF director. Robert Cekada, a veteran law enforcement officer who had served as the agency’s deputy director for the past year, was confirmed to lead the agency responsible for enforcing federal gun laws.
“Rob is exactly the right person to lead the ATF at this moment,”
Blanche said in support of Cekada’s appointment.
Context of the Policy Shift
The recent changes follow earlier commitments by the Trump administration to relax gun regulations. In February of the previous year, one of Trump’s first executive orders directed the Justice Department “to assess any ongoing infringements of the second amendment rights of our citizens.” Subsequently, the administration established a section within the civil rights division specifically focused on gun rights.
