President Trump's Second Amendment Accomplishments Second Term

 

President Trump with Pen, Public Domain   

Some Second Amendment supporters claim President Trump has not done anything in support of 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 The National Firearms Act of 1934 has not been repealed! The Gun Control Act of 1968 has not been repealed!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 withing the ability of the President of the United States to accomplish by executive action. A very slim majority of Republicans exists in the House. Less than the 60 votes needed to overcome the filibuster exists in the Senate. This means statutory change is very difficult to accomplish. A few members of the Republican party in the House and in the Senate are not reliable supporters of the Second Amendment. Such numbers are all it takes to make passage of legislation extremely difficult. 

In the face of such difficulties, President Trump has accomplished significant positive change in his second term, in just the first 16 months. President Trump has become the President most supportive of the Second Amendment since the founding fathers. 

It is not surprising 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 - President Trump administration shuts down White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention.  This office was a hotbed of anti-Second Amendment activism. 

February 7, 2025 - President Trump issues executive order to protect Second Amendment rights.    White House link. 

April 7, 2025 - Trump DOJ repeals 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 -  President Trump administration plans to create process for people to regain Second Amendment rights.  

August 7, 2025 - President Trump bans banks from discriminating against gun companies.  

August 15, 2025 - President Trump administration streamlines carry permit process for D.C. 

October 10, 2025 - President Trump administration files lawsuit against Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department for denial of Second Amendment rights.  

October 10, 2025 - President Trump has Jennifer Mascott confirmed to Third circuit Court of appeals.  Judge Mascott is likely to be a critical voice in a Second Amendment case. 

September 30, 2025 - President Trump administration recinds Biden administration  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 gets law passed Protecting Second Amendment  rights of  veterans from the Veterans Administration.  

January 8, 2026  - President Trump DOJ submits brief against California background check for ammunition.   

Jan 13, 2026 - President Trump pulls U.S. out of UN Register of Conventional Arms. 

January 28, 2025.   President Trump  DOJ files Brief in Massachusetts handgun roster case, taking the side of the Second Amendment. 

April 3, 2026 - Secretary of War Pete Hegseth's order to allow military members to carry off duty on post. 

President Trump and his administration has done more for Second Amendment supporters than any administration since the founding fathers. At the same time, President Trump is doing more for the USA than any other President, probably at least since World War II. 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 you know of 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. 

 ©2026 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

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