February 7, 2025
On February 7, 2025, the President signed an executive order aimed at protecting Second Amendment rights. The order emphasizes the importance of the Second Amendment as a fundamental safeguard of security and liberty, asserting that the right to keep and bear arms is foundational to maintaining all other rights held by Americans.
Key Directives of the Executive Order:
- Comprehensive Review by the Attorney General:
- Within 30 days, the Attorney General is tasked with examining all orders, regulations, guidance, plans, international agreements, and other actions of executive departments and agencies to assess any ongoing infringements of Second Amendment rights.
- The review will focus on actions from January 2021 through January 2025, including:
- Presidential and agency actions that may have impinged on the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens.
- Rules promulgated by the Department of Justice, including those by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, pertaining to firearms and Federal firearms licensees.
- Agencies’ plans and actions regarding the “enhanced regulatory enforcement policy” related to firearms and Federal firearms licensees.
- Reports and related documents issued by the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention.
- The positions taken by the United States in ongoing and potential litigation affecting Americans’ ability to exercise their Second Amendment rights.
- Agencies’ classifications of firearms and ammunition.
- The processing of applications to make, manufacture, transfer, or export firearms.
- Development and Implementation of a Plan of Action:
- Following the review, the Attorney General will present a proposed plan of action to the President, through the Domestic Policy Advisor, to protect Second Amendment rights.
- The Attorney General will collaborate with the Domestic Policy Advisor to finalize the plan and establish a process for its implementation.
General Provisions:
- The order clarifies that it should not be construed to impair or affect the authority granted by law to any executive department, agency, or their heads, nor the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget related to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
- Implementation of the order is to be consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
- The order does not create any enforceable right or benefit against the United States, its departments, agencies, entities, officers, employees, agents, or any other person.
This executive order underscores the administration’s commitment to upholding the Second Amendment rights of American citizens.
