Decatur Jewelry & Pawn

The Trump administration is moving to loosen federal gun regulations while challenging restrictive state laws in court but even some gun-rights organizations say the changes do not go far enough.

According to a July 8 report by Reason, the administration is pursuing its firearm agenda through ATF rule changes, federal lawsuits and possible legislation.

More than three dozen fi****ms regulations are reportedly being scrapped or reconsidered. One proposed change would allow licensed gun dealers to conduct background checks remotely and ship fi****ms directly to buyers’ homes, provided the dealer and buyer are located in the same state.

Supporters argue this could reduce the cost and inconvenience faced by customers who currently must travel to distant dealers or pay a local dealer to handle a transfer.

The Bureau of Alcohol, To***co, Fi****ms, and Explosives is also revisiting the Biden administration’s definition of what it means to be “engaged in the business” of selling fi****ms.

That rule raised concerns that collectors and hobbyists selling personal guns could be treated as unlicensed commercial dealers. In 2024, a federal judge ruled against the Biden administration’s broad interpretation covering many private firearm sales.

Other proposed ATF changes include:

• Eliminating restrictions on pistol-stabilizing braces
• Reversing the classification of bump stocks as machine guns
• Clarifying “straw purchase” rules so legitimate firearm gifts are less legally risky
• Easing regulations governing the mailing and personal transportation of fi****ms

The administration is also taking its gun-rights campaign into federal court.

The Justice Department is challenging Colorado’s ban on magazines holding more than 15 rounds. It is also suing over California’s prohibition affecting popular G***k handguns, Virginia’s new ban on certain semiautomatic fi****ms and Denver’s separate “assault weapons” restrictions.

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon said law-abiding Americans should not face criminal penalties simply for possessing fi****ms owned by millions of other citizens.

President Donald Trump has also publicly promised to work toward a “national right to carry.” Such a law could allow concealed-carry permit holders to carry fi****ms across state lines without navigating the current network of state reciprocity agreements.

However, that proposal would require congressional approval.

Gun-rights groups remain cautious.

Gun Owners of America argues that the ATF’s revised dealer rule could still allow ordinary conduct—such as keeping a firearm list, reselling the same model or offering a gun for sale—to be used as evidence of unlicensed dealing. The organization wants the rule completely repealed rather than modified.

The Fi****ms Policy Coalition also says further action is needed regarding restrictions on gun ownership by users of controlled substances. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court is expected to consider the constitutionality of bans on so-called “assault weapons.”

Critics of the administration’s approach warn that loosening oversight could come at the expense of public safety. Supporters describe the changes as a long-overdue reduction of federal overreach and a restoration of Second Amendment protections.

Some of these policies could also be reversed by a future administration because many depend on how federal agencies interpret existing laws.

Do you believe these changes restore constitutional rights, weaken necessary public-safety protections or strike the right balance between the two?