In a significant pivot on firearm policy, the Justice Department announced Wednesday a series of changes aimed at altering existing gun regulations. This move, influenced by Second Amendment advocates within President Donald Trump’s base, marks a departure from previous stances.
Criticism from gun control advocates was swift, labeling these changes as reckless, especially in the wake of a recent incident where an armed individual attempted to breach the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner with the intent to harm the Republican president.
Among the 30 proposed adjustments is the repeal of a rule from the 2024 Biden administration. This rule had expanded the requirement for background checks to include more firearms dealers, particularly those operating at gun shows and other non-traditional venues. The intention was to close what is colloquially known as the “gun show loophole,” which permits unlicensed dealers to sell firearms without conducting background checks.
This regulation faced legal challenges from gun rights organizations and Republican-led states, who argued that it infringed upon Second Amendment rights and claimed that the Biden administration overstepped its authority in enforcing such a measure.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche described the revisions as the “most comprehensive regulatory reform package in history” for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Blanche emphasized that these changes align with Supreme Court rulings and aim to ease unnecessary constraints on both firearms sellers and responsible gun owners.
“For too long, regulations have been crafted without a genuine understanding of the day-to-day operations of firearms businesses, the practices of lawful gun owners, or the actual factors that enhance public safety,” Blanche stated.
Gun control groups accused the administration of catering to gun rights activists with loosened regulations they said would make the country less safe.
“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,” John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety, said in a statement.
The changes were signed shortly after Robert Cekada, a longtime law enforcement officer, was confirmed by the U.S. Senate to lead the ATF, the federal agency responsible for enforcing the country’s gun laws. Cekada, who joined the ATF in 2005, has been been running the day-to-day operations of the agency for the last year as its deputy director.
Cekada is only the third person to be confirmed to lead the agency since the director’s position was made confirmable in 2006. The agency has mostly been led by acting directors, with both Republican and Democratic administrations failing to get nominees for the ATF position through the politically fraught process.
The ATF has long been the target of conservatives for its role in role in gun regulation, but Trump’s Justice Department has touted the agency’s role in taking illegal guns off the street and stopping violent crime.
“Rob is exactly the right person to lead the ATF at this moment,” Blanche said.
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