Donald Trump has re-entered the White House with a bang. But not one caused by gun policy action because there wasn’t much of that.
Trump issued a huge number of executive orders and posted an explicit policy priority list. Neither touched on guns.
Although, his most controversial move–pardoning all of the January 6th rioters–did give gun rights back to even the most violent perpetrators.
We also saw a familiar face return to the top of the ATF. But that seems to be the result of the Trump Administration’s inaction rather than the other way around.
Plus, Congressman Richard Hudson joins the podcast to explain the GOP’s plan for gun policy. Contributing Writer Jake Fogleman also looks at a case where Rahimi finally had a big impact. And we’ve got lots of other stories down in the links.
Ad Fontes Media also rated just The Reload as one of a handful of publications that “are the fruits, vegetables, and lean protein — the ones we actively recommend to provide fact-based, reliable and minimally biased or balanced information for a healthy news diet.’ So, that’s pretty cool!
Trump Skips Guns in Flurry of Day One Executive Orders
By Jake Fogleman
Gun policy did not factor into the new President’s immediate priorities.
Shortly after President Donald Trump officially swore in for his second term on Monday, he quickly signed dozens of sweeping executive orders to walk back several Biden-era policies and fulfill multiple prominent campaign promises. His actions included declaring a “national energy emergency,” a bid to end birthright citizenship, withdrawal from the World Health Organization and Paris Climate Agreement, a full pardon for roughly 1,500 January 6th defendants, and more.
Left out of the policy blitz was anything having to do with advancing gun-rights priorities or rescinding the Biden Administration’s gun-control policy achievements. The Trump Administration also left the Second Amendment and gun policy off of its revamped “priorities” page on the White House website.
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Trump Pardon Restores Gun Rights to January 6th Rioters, Including Many Who Assaulted Police
By Stephen Gutowski
“I GOT A PARDON BABY! THANK YOU PRESIDENT TRUMP!!! NOW I AM GONNA BUY SOME MOTHA FU*KIN GUNS!!!”
That’s the message Jake Angeli-Chansley, better known as the “QAnon Shaman,” posted on Monday night. In 2021, Angeli-Chansley pled guilty to a non-violent charge for his high-profile involvement in the January 6th Capitol Riot, and a federal judge sentenced him to several years in prison. President Donald Trump’s decision to pardon him and more than 1,500 others, including hundreds of those convicted of assaulting police or other violent offenses, restores gun rights to the people who stormed the Capitol Building in a failed effort to keep Trump in power after he lost the 2020 election.
“This is a big one,” Trump said while signing the pardons.
Analysis: Trump Admin Literally Leaves Gun Rights Off Priority List [Member Exclusive]
By Stephen Gutowski
In a repeat from the campaign, Trump snubbed gun rights in his written agenda for the next four years.
On Monday, the White House unleashed a flood of Day One executive orders tackling everything from immigration to federal hiring to cryptocurrency. It also launched a new website that spelled out the incoming administration’s priorities. One key issue absent from both was gun policy.
While these are only the earliest days of the Trump Administration, and the lack of major immediate action on policy or personnel directly related to firearms doesn’t necessarily signal any change in Trump’s approach to the issue, it is another sign guns are not one of his top priorities. Leaving them off the administration’s literal priority list may even be the most prominent sign yet.
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Marvin Richardson Back Atop ATF
By Stephen Gutowski
A familiar face is once again the highest-ranking director at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). At least for now.
Former Acting Director Marvin Richardson is back at the top of the ATF’s leadership structure, at least as of Wednesday. The agency’s website placed Richardson as its head. Although, he is still listed only as the Deputy Director.
The ATF did not respond to multiple emails and calls about Richadson’s role or the agency’s current leadership.
Podcast: The GOP’s 2025 Gun Plans (Ft. Rep. Richard Hudson)
By Stephen Gutowski
This week, we’re looking ahead at what Republicans want to do on gun policy headed into their new trifecta.
To do that, we have the man who has been at the center of their legislative efforts for years now. Representative Richard Hudson from North Carolina’s Ninth District joins the show. He has sponsored most of the top-priority gun bills in recent years and just introduced a new version of national gun-carry reciprocity this year.
You can listen to the show on your favorite podcasting app or by clicking here. Video of the episode is available on our YouTube channel.
Plus, Contributing Writer Jake Fogleman and I recap the first confirmation hearing for Donald Trump’s Attorney General nominee, Pam Bondi. We talk about why it could spell trouble for the political influence of gun-rights advocates. We also cover the Supreme Court’s latest rejection of multiple Second Amendment appeals and where things stand with a closely-watched pending ‘assault weapon’ ban case. Finally, we wrap up with discussions around the Third Circuit’s re-vindication of the carry rights of young adults in Pennsylvania, a guest post on the questionable state of firearms forensics, and a collection of key gun stories from outside The Reload.
Analysis: Rahimi Makes an Impact [Member Exclusive]
By Jake Fogleman
The Supreme Court’s latest Second Amendment decision has been relatively impotent since the Court handed it down a few months back. But, this week, it inspired an appeals court to reverse a sweeping ruling against a federal firearms prohibition.
On Monday, a three-judge panel for the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously upheld 18 U.S.C. § 922(n), a federal provision barring those under felony indictment from obtaining new firearms. The panel reversed a decision handed down shortly after 2022’s New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen. It concluded, largely thanks to the Supreme Court’s subsequent guidance in US v. Rahimi, that restricting the acquisition of guns by those under indictment comports with the “principles that underpin” the nation’s historical tradition of firearms regulation.
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Outside The Reload
Man who got Jan. 6 pardon is arrested on federal gun charge | The Hill | By Ella Lee
SCOTUS Relists Pair Of 2A Cases | TTAG | By Mark Chestnut
That’s it for this week in guns.
I’ll see you all next week.
Thanks,
Stephen Gutowski
Founder
The Reload
