Justice Department officials moved Wednesday to roll back and modify a slate of gun regulations in a dramatic shift in firearm policy pushed by Second Amendment supporters in President Donald Trump's base. The changes include proposals to repeal a 2024 Biden administration rule that sought to force thousands more firearms dealers to run background checks on buyers at gun shows or other locations outside brick-and-mortar stores.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche announced the package shortly after Robert Cekada, a longtime law enforcement officer who joined the ATF in 2005, was confirmed by the U.S. Senate to lead the agency. Cekada has been running the day-to-day operations of the ATF for the last year as its deputy director and is only the third person to be confirmed to lead the agency since the director's position became confirmable in 2006.
What the Left Is Saying
Gun control advocates criticized the timing of the regulatory rollback, coming just days after a man armed with guns and knives allegedly attempted to storm the White House Correspondents' Association dinner and target President Trump. John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety, issued a statement saying: "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." Gun control groups argue that loosening regulations will make the country less safe at a time when violent incidents involving firearms are drawing national attention.
What the Right Is Saying
Blanche called the revisions the "most comprehensive regulatory reform package in the history" of the ATF, saying the changes bring gun regulations in line with Supreme Court precedent while reducing what he described as unnecessary burdens on firearms sellers and lawful gun owners. "For too long, regulations were written without any real understanding of how firearms businesses operate, how lawful gun owners handle their firearms, or what truly improves public safety," Blanche said. Gun rights groups and Republican-led states had challenged the Biden-era background check rule in court, arguing it violated the Second Amendment and that former President Joe Biden did not have the authority to implement it. The Trump administration has also highlighted the ATF's role in taking illegal guns off the street and stopping violent crime.
What the Numbers Show
The Justice Department announced more than 30 regulatory changes Wednesday. The proposed repeal targets a 2024 rule that would have extended background check requirements to thousands of additional firearms dealers who sell at gun shows, flea markets, and other locations outside traditional stores. Gun rights groups argue this change addresses what they call the "gun show loophole," which allowed sales by unlicensed dealers without background checks. Cekada becomes only the third confirmed ATF director since 2006, as both Republican and Democratic administrations have historically struggled to get nominees through the politically contentious Senate confirmation process for this position.
The Bottom Line
The regulatory rollback represents a significant policy shift aligned with Trump's base of Second Amendment supporters. The administration frames these changes as aligning regulations with Supreme Court precedent and reducing burdens on lawful gun owners, while critics argue it comes at a dangerous time following high-profile violent incidents. The repeal of the Biden-era background check rule is expected to face legal challenges, potentially returning to courts that previously considered cases involving gun sales regulations.