The Trump administration has moved to alter more than thirty firearms regulations, affecting illegal sales enforcement and oversight of private transactions. These changes also involve restoring gun rights to certain individuals with mental illness.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), responsible for enforcing national gun laws, is at the center of this shift. This move aligns with President Trump’s campaign promises to support gun rights.

Critics, including some ATF veterans, argue that the reforms compromise public safety. They highlight concerns about the agency’s weakened state, as many officials focus on immigration enforcement.

Supporters argue that the reversals restore regulations to levels existing before President Biden’s administration. Biden enacted gun control measures after mass shootings, breaking years of deadlock over firearms regulation.

“The Biden regulations that we got and put in place advanced the ball,” said Kris Brown, president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. “But the Trump administration’s approach takes us back 100 years,” she added.

The discussion reveals the complex nature of gun policy and regulation in the United States. The contrasting viewpoints illustrate the ongoing debate over the balance between regulation and rights.