The Justice Department on Wednesday announced a sweeping rollback of firearm regulations, eliminating the Biden administration's signature rule requiring background checks at gun shows and other informal sales venues. The move represents a sharp pivot in federal gun policy and marks the first major regulatory action under Trump's new attorney general, Todd Blanche.
Among more than 30 changes unveiled, the proposed repeal targets a 2024 rule designed to expand background check requirements to unlicensed dealers operating outside traditional storefronts. Gun rights advocates had mounted successful legal challenges to the regulation, arguing it exceeded executive authority and infringed on Second Amendment protections.
Blanche characterized the package as the "most comprehensive regulatory reform" in the history of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, framing the changes as necessary corrections to burdensome rules that misunderstood how the firearms industry operates. He said the revisions align federal gun policy with recent Supreme Court precedent while removing obstacles for licensed dealers and lawful 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 control advocates blasted the timing and substance of the announcement. The rollback came just four days after a man armed with guns and knives attempted to breach the White House Correspondents' Association dinner, fueling sharp criticism from safety groups. John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety, accused the administration of gutting commonsense protections in the immediate aftermath of the security incident, saying the department was effectively "sabotaging the only federal agency dedicated to keeping guns out of criminal hands."
The regulatory overhaul coincided with Senate confirmation of Robert Cekada, a 19-year ATF veteran, as the agency's director. Cekada, who has served as deputy director for the past year, became only the third person confirmed to the position since it became subject to Senate approval in 2006. The ATF has historically struggled to secure permanent leadership, cycling through acting directors across multiple administrations, both Republican and Democratic.
Blanche defended Cekada's appointment, saying he was the right choice to lead the agency during the period of regulatory change. Though the ATF has long faced criticism from conservatives skeptical of its enforcement role, the Justice Department has emphasized the agency's work removing illegal firearms from circulation and combating violent crime.
Author Sarah Mitchell: "The timing here is almost theatrical, announcing gun deregulation days after a White House security threat and with a new director still finding his footing, but that's precisely how Trump's team operates when it has the political wind at its back."
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