Gun rights groups see 'golden age' under Trump administration
Source: NPR
May 20, 2026 5:00 AM ET
The president, his allies and Justice Department leaders say they're the most pro-gun presidency in modern American history. Many in the gun industry tend to agree with them. John Commerford, executive director for the National Rifle Association's Institute for Legislative Action, said that the organization views it as the "golden age of the Second Amendment" under Trump. Commerford spoke to NPR after several recent actions on gun rules taken by the Justice Department.
Just four days after the gunman attack at the White House Correspondents Dinner, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche announced a series of changes to repeal or alter existing firearms regulations. He was joined by Robert Cekada, newly confirmed as head of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
"The Second Amendment will never be treated as a second-class right in the Trump administration," Blanche said during the roll out. "The Second Amendment is not negotiable."
The two were flanked by a host of representatives from the gun industry, including from the NRA and Gun Owners of America. Cekada and Blanche said the new regulations would ease burdens for the firearms industry and lawful gun owners. The 34 proposed changes – published recently in the Federal Register – seem largely focused on reducing paperwork or formalizing the end to rules that have already been effectively blocked by courts.
Read more: https://www.npr.org/2026/05/20/nx-s1-5810190/gun-rights-trump-rules-atf
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