The recent shooting of a man by a Border Patrol agent in Minneapolis has reignited the ongoing debate over the Second Amendment and concealed carry laws, but with a twist: this time, the political dynamics are different.

For decades, the Republican Party has championed the right to bear arms, vigorously advocating for the Second Amendment and successfully promoting gun rights legislation, including concealed carry, across the United States. The victim of the Minneapolis shooting, Alex Pretti, was legally armed. Yet, officials from the Trump administration argue that he should not have been.

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“Bringing a firearm loaded with multiple magazines to any protest is simply unacceptable,” stated Director Kash Patel.

In contrast, President Donald Trump showed support for Kyle Rittenhouse after he fatally shot two individuals who reportedly attempted to disarm him during protests following a police-related shooting. Moreover, some participants in the January 6 Capitol riot were armed, and many Republicans stood behind a couple in Missouri who brandished their guns at protesters after George Floyd’s death.

“The administration’s hypocrisy is glaring, as they scramble for justification for these agents’ actions,” remarked Jim Durkin, former Republican leader in the Illinois House of Representatives.

Durkin believes this inconsistency regarding the Minneapolis incident could further divide the Republican Party. While Illinois took over two decades to enact a restrictive concealed carry law, its residents, like those in Minnesota, have the right to carry loaded firearms at protests.

“Mr. Pretti was not violating the law in terms of the Second Amendment. He had a protected right, and the law in Minnesota did not prohibit him from carrying a firearm,” said Rob Chadwick with the U.S. Concealed Carry Association.

But Chadwick, a former FBI agent, says the law gets dicey if the armed person inserts themselves in a law enforcement operation. USCCA and a growing number of Republicans are calling for a full investigation into Pretti’s death.

“When you take that step and get involved physically in a law enforcement action, it is incredibly dangerous and unintended consequences do happen,” Chadwick said.

Meanwhile, White House Spokesperson Karoline Leavitt says Trump absolutely supports the Second Amendment for law-abiding Americans, but not for people who impede immigration enforcement operations.