The Trump Administration Is Gutting Our Gun Laws

In April 2026, the Trump administration Department of Justice and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) — the agency whose job is to enforce our gun laws and oversee the gun industry — announced over 30 new rules that put the gun industry’s profits ahead of your safety.

These rules would make sweeping and dangerous changes to federal gun safety regulations that, in ATF’s own words, could result in “greater” and “increased” risks to public safety. In two rules, ATF even admits that these changes could lead to “potential mass casualty events” and “mass casualties.” For an agency whose mission is to protect the public from violent gun crime, that’s outrageous and unacceptable. 

These rules would also create other risks that make all of us less safe:

• More opportunities for prohibited persons, dangerous individuals, and violent criminals to obtain firearms without a background check because of background check loopholes
• More unsolved gun crimes, which will make it harder for law enforcement to hold shooters and suppliers accountable
• More irresponsible gun dealer conduct thanks to even less industry regulation, oversight, and accountability  

We Raised Our Voices, With Your Help

Since these changes were announced — in front of an audience of gun lobby representatives — Everytown has mobilized our opposition, and you’ve stepped up to help.

• We spoke out against these proposed rules in our communities and through social media, news outlets, and direct messages to our supporters — putting pressure on ATF to reconsider its proposals.
• Everytown volunteers alone submitted over 1,000 comments in opposition to one of the most dangerous rules: the Skip the Counter Sales rule.
  • With this rule, gun buyers would never have to set foot in a gun store. Instead, gun stores would ship firearms to their door, making it harder to detect traffickers and prevent tragedies.
  • But, thanks to you and all your comments, we’ve made sure ATF hears this movement loud and clear.
• Everytown’s powerful and courageous survivor network submitted opposition comments to three of ATF’s proposed rules, including the Skip the Counter Sales rule and two other rules that would create bigger loopholes in the background check system.    
• Everytown’s policy experts also submitted 18 official public comments raising objections to increased public safety risks, procedural problems, and other serious shortcomings in them.