Take a look into our world . This is a scenario @ATFWashington frequently faces when combating violent crime and maintaining public safety. Many people attempt to conceal firearms on the their person or belongings which puts everyone involved at risk. #MakeDCSafeAgain #ATF pic.twitter.com/75fzz6eZqk
— ATF Washington (@ATFWashington) August 20, 2025
WASHINGTON, D.C. – President Donald Trump’s reforms at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) were meant to put the agency back on track.Zero Tolerance is gone, a pro-gun director is in place, and the firearm industry was told the agency would return to its core mission: fighting crime and illegal trafficking, not harassing gun dealers or law-abiding citizens.
But old habits die hard. This week, the Washington Field Division of the ATF lit up social media for all the wrong reasons. A post on X showed a photo of an agent lifting a suspect’s shirt to reveal a pistol stuffed into his waistband. The caption warned that “many people attempt to conceal firearms on their person or belongings which puts everyone involved at risk.”
Instead of calming fears, the message backfired—badly.
The Problem With ATF’s Framing
The trouble wasn’t the photo, but the words. The ATF didn’t say the suspect was a convicted felon, a trafficker, or otherwise barred from owning a firearm. They simply portrayed concealed carry itself as a danger.
For millions of Americans, that’s a direct insult. As one user, @DiscoMephisto, put it: “Millions upon millions of us conceal firearms upon our persons. There are people out there, doing things they shouldn’t do, who should be at risk.”
The U.S. Supreme Court has been clear: carrying a firearm outside the home is constitutionally protected. In New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen (2022), the Court struck down restrictive “may issue” carry laws.
That’s why Mark W. Smith of Four Boxes Diner jumped into the thread, telling ATF directly:
“Please speak with the Washington ATF field office about the Second Amendment and the Bruen decision. I suspect their social media person lacks the relevant knowledge.”
Backlash From the Gun Community
Concealed carry is not the issue—you are. Millions of law-abiding citizens carry concealed every single day without incident.
Concealed carry saves lives. Disarming people and vilifying them on social media doesn’t.#2A #ShallNotBeInfringed
— AmmoLand News (@AmmoLand) August 20, 2025
The replies were nearly unanimous in their condemnation. Some were sharp, others sarcastic, but all pointed to the same problem—ATF still doesn’t understand that lawful gun owners are not the enemy.
- “As is their … right. Disband,” wrote @GATOR_eternal, echoing the frustration many feel.
- “2A is not a suggestion. Go [expletive] yourselves,” posted @thiccWifWaffle, gathering over two dozen likes.
- Others reminded ATF of its history: Ruby Ridge, Waco, Fast & Furious. “Wanna see what we see looking into your world?” asked @MarionMor1sson, listing decades of abuses.
Even critics outside the gun-rights world saw the post as tone-deaf. One user literly replied: “Y’all are tone-deaf.” LOL.
Why Messaging Still Matters
To the average ATF agent, the photo was just another day at work. But messaging like this shows why the agency still struggles for legitimacy—even after reforms under Trump.
The firearms industry was cautiously optimistic earlier this year when Acting Director Daniel Driscoll promised to move away from “punitive” Biden-era tactics. “Law-abiding dealers deserve a system that treats them fairly, not like suspects,” Driscoll said in June. And NSSF, the industry’s trade association, welcomed the new partnership approach.
But every time a field office paints concealed carry as inherently dangerous, that optimism takes a hit. For a community already skeptical of federal overreach, the ATF’s words confirm the worst suspicions: that the agency still doesn’t respect the Second Amendment.
The Bigger Lesson
Gun owners aren’t looking for special treatment. They just want the government to recognize their rights. When ATF talks about “concealed firearms” as a public threat, it’s not targeting violent criminals—it’s casting a shadow over every law-abiding carrier.
That’s why the backlash was so fierce, and why the bureau’s credibility problem isn’t going away anytime soon. Until ATF learns to speak the language of the Constitution, every misstep on social media will remind gun owners why they don’t trust the rogue and deadly agency.
As one reply summed it up: “Take a look into our world. This is a scenario Americans face when combating violent government agencies and murderous agents. Many agents attempt to step on the necks of free people, which puts everyone involved at risk.”
Even after Trump, ATF’s messaging still backfires—because no amount of reform can fix a culture that views lawful gun owners as suspects.
AnTi Firearm. Take a look at MY world. I live out of town because of crime and corrupt cops, feds, judges, politicians and lawyers. Yes, I have actually seen and had to deal with all of them. I have witnessed government officials and the atf confiscating guns from legal gun owners. I have witnessed corrupt detectives not returning stolen firearms to their owners — instead keeping them in their own houses. I have witnesses the atf beat up innocent people. I have witnessed two different murders. One of my children was nearly kidnapped TWICE. Had I not been armed there… Read more »
Does the ATF really think we’re gonna fall for civilian disarmament being about “keeping us safe”? Heck no! This agency absolutely must go, never to return.
Am I the only one?
“the firearm industry was told the agency would return to its core mission: fighting crime and illegal trafficking”
The agency’s core mission is collecting taxes on alcohol, tobacco, firearms and explosives.
very disappointed that Ammoland is deleting comments critical of atf.
No person who has worked for the atf should ever hold a position of honor in the United States.
atf should be disbanded with extreme prejudice
Abolish the ATF and poof the problem goes away!!!
The picture of Chad Kroeger and the Waco, “look at this photograph” is wild.
Good shot, man.
Not one person in the ATF is an elected official.
There are still BATFE and USDOJ employees covertly supporting Biden era gun control policies. This article from Guns America: DOJ in Rebellion Against the Trump Admin? August 19, 2025 Updated: August 19, 2025 BY Larry Z Gun Owners of America (GOA) is sounding the alarm: the Department of Justice is actively defending Biden’s “zero tolerance” firearm dealer license revocation scheme—even under the Trump administration. That’s a head-scratcher. Here’s the scoop: early in Biden’s term, ATF launched a policy that triggered automatic revocation of federal firearms dealer licenses—even for minor, unintentional paperwork errors. GOA pushed back. In 2023 they filed lawsuits… Read more »
So much for Trump and the GOP’s pro 2A “promises”. First Blondi and the Second Amendment Task Farce. Then the epic failure at passing HPA and SHORT.
They still haven’t destroyed the ATF’s national gun registry.
Tate Adamiak’s still rotting in prison, while those who rigged his trial are free.
Brian Malinowski’s murder(s) are still free.
And now ATF goes on X taking pot shots at American citizens for exercising their 2A rights.
Trump and the GOP just keep pissing on WE THE PEOPLE.
The great majority of people carrying guns have no intention of committing a crime, but want the capability to resist having a crime committed against them.