In a significant shift on federal gun policy, the Trump administration's Department of Justice has settled with Rare Breed Triggers, ending a ban on the sale of a controversial trigger mechanism known as forced-reset triggers. These devices, which can make semiautomatic rifles fire quickly similar to automatic ones, were at the center of legal disputes, previously being categorized as illegal under federal law.
Attorney General Pam Bondi stated, "This Department of Justice believes that the 2nd Amendment is not a second-class right." The settlement has prompted to swiftly change course, in contrast to the previous administration's robust efforts to regulate gun sales and prevent gun violence. It also requires the government to return any seized triggers to their owners, creating an immediate shift in how aftermarket triggers are regulated and enforced by the federal government, as reported by AP News.
The Brooklyn case against Rare Breed Triggers, which challenged the legality of selling the forced reset triggers, was dropped after the settlement announcement, Gothamist reported. Lawrence DeMonico, president of Rare Breed Triggers, told Gothamist, "This is a tremendous victory for all gun owners, and the risks, delays and costs of appeals has ended." Their agreement also includes a clause that would prevent the government from future claims that these triggers are illegal, even if the laws change.
Giffords Law Center's legal director, David Pucino, warned of the potential consequences, saying, "It’s very possible that in the years ahead we’re going to see an increase in the number of civilians that are exposed to automatic fire," as reported by Gothamist. Proponents of gun safety legislation view the deal as a major setback to efforts aimed at curbing gun violence, with concerns that the deal will lead to easily escalate the firepower accessible to the public.
Conversely, second amendment proponents have hailed the dismissal of the litigation against Rare Breed Triggers as a victory for gun rights. NRA Institute for Legislative Action's executive director John Commerford called this settlement one of several "critical steps" taken by the Trump administration to correct what he termed the "bureaucratic overreach" of the prior administration's gun control initiatives, as per Gothamist.
