The government of President Donald Trump repealed more than thirty federal regulations on firearms, thus reversing a series of gun control norms from the Biden era that, for example, applied a "zero tolerance" policy against federal gun distributors.
The acting Attorney General, Todd Blanche, and the newly confirmed director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Robert Cekada, announced these changes on April 29, which were formalized through a decree issued by Trump. This initiative is described as the most significant regulatory reform package in the history of the ATF.
With this shift, the legal standard required to revoke a federal firearms distributor's license is raised, requiring proof that the dealer knew they were violating the law; additionally, a Biden regulation on pistol stabilizers is formally repealed and the scope of a regulation designed to require dealers at fairs and online markets to verify the background of each buyer is restricted.
Lawsuit against several Democratic states
Under the new ATF streamlining plan, presented this past Friday, those wishing to purchase a firearm will only need to present a fingerprint card instead of two and can verify their identity with a photo ID instead of a passport-style photo. The rule is expected to be published in the Federal Register on July 6 and will remain in a trial period until October 5.
