The return of Donald Trump to the White House is a breath of fresh air for gun owners and Second Amendment advocates after four years of anti-gun policies and constant calls for gun control from the Biden White House. But critics are cautioning firearms owners not to relax too much, as there are still plenty of efforts to curtail Second Amendment rights from the federal government, and in blue cities and states.
Gun sales surged in 2020 ahead of Joe Biden taking office and again last year ahead of the election, as Americans hedged against a possible Kamala Harris victory. Now, we're likely to see those numbers subside a bit. "I think with Trump coming in people can expect that at least the ATF is going to be kept within constitutional limits, and so there may not be as much of an immediate need to go out and buy guns and ammunition," says Mike McDaniel, blogger and American Thinker deputy editor. "Whether that is going to happen, and how fast that is going to happen, is another question."
Still, even with slowdowns in between election years, American gun sales have exceeded one million for 65 consecutive months. McDaniel notes that gun owners have learned not to let their guard down, with anti-gun crusaders still throughout the federal government. In particular, the FBI has been fudging statistics on so-called "active shooter" situations for years, putting out debunked data that sometimes only relied on Google searches. "The FBI has been very much in league with the media, and more interested in keeping up traditional Democrat narratives, than in telling the truth," says McDaniel.
"Part of that is blue cities and states don't want to admit their policies are letting crime run rampant, so many aren't reporting to the FBI," he continues. "And the FBI, understanding that, puts out false data anyway."
Trump has vowed change with the appointment of Kash Patel to lead the FBI. And Congress is trying to help drain the swamp, as well. Two House Republicans have introduced a bill to abolish the ATF altogether, for being openly hostile to Americans' Second Amendment rights.
"The Founders of our country were intentionally suspicious of government," says McDaniel. "And in 2025, Americans---just like the Founders---have every reason to be suspicious of government, and to be properly prepared just in case."
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