Some Second Amendment supporters claim that President Trump has not done anything to support Second Amendment rights. They say: The ATF still exists! The National Firearms Act of 1934 has not been repealed! The Gun Control Act of 1968 has not been repealed!
Those actions are not within the ability of the President of the United States to accomplish by executive action, at least not in a constitutional republic. A very slim majority of Republicans exists in the House. Fewer than the 60 votes needed to overcome the filibuster exist in the Senate. This means statutory change is very difficult to accomplish. A few Republican members of the House and the Senate are not reliable supporters of the Second Amendment. Such numbers are all it takes to make legislative passage extremely difficult.
In the face of such difficulties, President Trump has accomplished significant positive change in his second term. Supporters can make a strong case that Trump’s second-term record is the most aggressively pro-Second Amendment record of any modern administration.
It is not surprising that the Republic did not see any significant challenge to rights protected by the Second Amendment until a generation after the ratification of the Bill of Rights. A couple of laws restricting concealed carry were passed in 1813. The Kentucky law was struck down as unconstitutional by the state supreme court, leaving the Louisiana law as an outlier for another decade. After the Founding generation had passed away, the infringements on the Second Amendment started being passed.
Here are some of the actions the Trump Administration has taken to restore Second Amendment rights in the United States. Two are statutory. The rest have been done with administrative authority:
- January 20, 2025 – January 20, 2025 — The Trump administration shut down the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, created under the Biden administration.
- February 7, 2025 – President Trump issues an executive order to protect Second Amendment rights. White House link.
- April 7, 2025 – Trump DOJ repeals the Zero Tolerance policy by the ATF. The ATF announces plans to revise the policy on stabilizing braces and the definition of “engaged in the business by ATF.
- July 4, 2025 – (Statutory) Trump administration passes Big Beautiful Bill ending taxes for silencers, short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, and any other weapons. This was the first time any of the NFA taxes were eliminated. The item should have been removed from the NFA, as the Trump administration proposed. The Senate Parliamentarian prevented their complete removal.
- July 21, 2025 – Trump’s administration plans to create a process for people to regain Second Amendment rights.
- August 7, 2025 – President Trump bans banks from discriminating against gun companies.
- August 15, 2025 – The Trump administration streamlines the carry permit process for D.C.
- October 10, 2025 – The Trump administration files a lawsuit against the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department for the denial of Second Amendment rights.
- October 10, 2025 – President Trump has confirmed Jennifer Mascott to the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. Judge Mascott is likely to be a critical voice in a Second Amendment case.
- September 30, 2025 – The Trump administration rescinds the Biden administration’s export restrictions on firearms.
- November 6, 2025 – President Trump cuts off federal funding to gun control groups.
- November 8, 2025 – Trump’s U.S. Attorney for D.C. will refuse to seek felony charges for unregistered rifles or shotguns in D.C.
- November 17, 2025 – (Statutory) President Trump signs a law protecting the Second Amendment rights of veterans from the Veterans Administration.
- January 8, 2026 – President Trump’s DOJ submits a brief against California’s background checks for ammunition.
- Jan 13, 2026 – President Trump pulls the U.S. out of the UN Register of Conventional Arms.
- January 28, 2025 – President Trump’s DOJ files a brief in the Massachusetts handgun roster case, taking the side of the Second Amendment.
- April 3, 2026 – Secretary of War Pete Hegseth orders military installations to allow military members to carry off-duty on post.
Whether one agrees with every Trump policy or not, his administration has moved faster and more directly on Second Amendment issues than any recent Republican administration.
The above is not a complete list. There have been several amicus briefs filed in Second Amendment cases by the administration to restore Second Amendment rights. Feel free to add any accomplishments not listed in the comments.
When a fundamental constitutional right has been trampled in the dirt for over a hundred years, it is understandable for supporters to be anxious to see the right completely restored, immediately. Unfortunately, such is impossible without destroying the structure of the Republic inherent in the ordered liberty of the Constitution. If the Constitution is destroyed, the Second Amendment is not guaranteed. Is there more the Trump administration can do? Yes, absolutely. Are we going to see significant improvements?
Yes, absolutely. Will we see enormous statutory changes? No, unless the Republicans hold the House and the Senate in the midterms, and probably not unless they gain seats in both.
DOJ Warns Virginia on Gun Bills as Harmeet Dhillon Expands 2A Civil Rights Push
About Dean Weingarten:
Dean Weingarten has been a peace officer, a military officer, was on the University of Wisconsin Pistol Team for four years, and was first certified to teach firearms safety in 1973. He taught the Arizona concealed carry course for fifteen years until the goal of Constitutional Carry was attained. He has degrees in meteorology and mining engineering, and retired from the Department of Defense after a 30 year career in Army Research, Development, Testing, and Evaluation.
Almost 20 years ago, Obama became “The Top Gun Salesman of the Year” several years in a row. Many new guns were sold, and because of hoarding, ammunition was hard to come by. In 2016, Trump was elected and the economic term of that time was “The Trump Slump” because gun sales slowed when everyone felt more secure in their gun rights. That pendulum has swung back and forth again since then. I realize that that’s how economics works and how fear motivates sales. I just wish that all the good that the Trump administration is doing would have a… Read more »
“July 4, 2025 – (Statutory) Trump administration passes Big Beautiful Bill ending taxes for silencers, short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, and any other weapons. This was the first time any of the NFA taxes were eliminated. The item should have been removed from the NFA, as the Trump administration proposed. T̶h̶e̶ ̶S̶e̶n̶a̶t̶e̶ ̶P̶a̶r̶l̶i̶a̶m̶e̶n̶t̶a̶r̶i̶a̶n̶ ̶p̶r̶e̶v̶e̶n̶t̶e̶d̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶i̶r̶ ̶c̶o̶m̶p̶l̶e̶t̶e̶ ̶r̶e̶m̶o̶v̶a̶l̶.̶” Alleged 2A supporter, VP JD Vance ALLOWED the Senate Parlaimentarian to prevent their complete removal.
Her decision was not binding. Vance had a choice to allow her decision to stand or to over rule it. He chose to let it stand.
“Shall not be infringed” means exactly that. Until the second amendment is fully upheld in America He, President Trump and the rest of the pro constitution, pro GOD government people, is/are not done. He /they have done some very good things, things that he promised but they ain’t done. There is no other right written into the constitution that says, “Shall not be infringed”, I wonder why that is. This comes to mind. As goes the second amendment so goes the rest of our GOD given constitutionally guaranteed rights. This is why our founding fathers decided they had to go… Read more »
Show up and VOTE midterm.
“A few Republican members of the House and the Senate are not reliable supporters of the Second Amendment. Such numbers are all it takes to make legislative passage extremely difficult.“
Question: Why doesn’t the National Rifle Association focus ALL of its efforts on actions that would oust these filthy RINOs and replace them with constitutionalists? If they did, I know that I would come back with my checkbook and assist and I think many others would as well.
The ATF was created via memo from the Treasury Secretary. The president doesn’t need congress to dismantle it. He also doesn’t need congress to roll back Bush’s import ban. No congressional authority needed to end the “sporting purposes” rules, either.
Well done, Dean. We need to have some perspective on progress. The Progressive New Left took over the once-democratic party nearly 40 years ago. Blue Dog Democrats are now on the extinct list. We face a wall of ideologues who are determined to destroy the very nature of citizenship and the rights necessary to create that concept. The Progressive New Left has had more opportunity at the federal and state level to incrementally deconstruct your natural rights than has the conservative wing of the Republican Party. And they have done so with great success. One step at a time they… Read more »
The best thing that Trump has done for the 2nd Amendment this term was firing Pam Bondi. The worst thing he did to the 2A was hiring her in the first place.
Some here talk of the difficulty involved and the Constitutional considerations that our pro-2nd Amendment administration has. I think any administration that can fight a war without congressional approval could overcome those meddlesome bothers. There is one thing that can be done that is completely Constitutional and will not cause any harm. President Trump will not have to lift a finger. Ready? Strap on you Constitutional arms. Go to your county courthouse on the first Saturday of every month at high noon. Exercise your rights for one hour. Answer any questions that may be asked politely and honestly. Tens of… Read more »
Thanks Dean! It’s nice to see a news agency that actually supports the President and doesn’t run him into the ground. We have enough of the negative fake news channels to corrupt our minds much less those that are on this board supporting anti-gun venues.
God bless President Trump and the USA.
MAGA