Trump Administration Unleashes Sweeping Rollback on Gun Regulations Amid Safety Outcry

The Trump administration is doubling down on its pledge to dismantle gun regulations with a broad rollback announced Wednesday, sparking fierce criticism from gun safety advocates who call the moves reckless and tone-deaf.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche unveiled 34 planned changes to federal gun rules at a press conference, insisting that the rollbacks “do not weaken law enforcement.” Among the most controversial reversals is the scrapping of a 2024 Biden administration regulation aimed at closing the so-called “gun show loophole.” This loophole lets unlicensed dealers sell firearms without background checks, allowing potentially dangerous individuals to obtain guns unchecked.

The administration also plans to rescind a 2023 rule restricting pistol braces—attachments that let shooters stabilize pistols against their shoulders, effectively turning them into short-barreled rifles. Although a federal court had already struck down this rule, the administration’s formal rollback signals a broader effort to loosen gun controls.

These moves follow President Donald Trump’s February 2025 executive order directing the Justice Department to review and eliminate “ongoing infringements” on Second Amendment rights. The department also created a civil rights division section focused on gun rights in December, signaling a strategic shift toward aggressive deregulation.

John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety, condemned the administration’s actions as dangerously misguided. He pointed to the recent attempted shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner as evidence that stronger gun laws are urgently needed, not weakened.

“Four days after the nation watched gunfire break out at a high-profile event, the Trump administration’s answer is to gut common-sense gun safety laws and sabotage the only federal agency dedicated to keeping guns out of criminal hands,” Feinblatt said.

Blanche dismissed these concerns, arguing that the rollbacks pose no new risks to public safety and align with the administration’s commitment to protect constitutional gun rights. He also hinted that more regulatory reversals are on the way.

The new Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives director, Robert Cekada, confirmed at the news conference, is only the third person confirmed by the Senate since 2006. With over 20 years at the agency, including a recent stint as deputy director, Cekada is expected to play a key role in advancing the administration’s deregulatory agenda.

This aggressive unravelling of gun regulations comes at a time when gun violence remains a pressing national crisis. The Trump administration’s moves underscore a broader pattern of prioritizing ideological loyalty to gun rights over public safety and accountability. As these rollbacks take effect, the stakes for communities vulnerable to gun violence could not be higher.