VA Ends Reporting of Veterans with Fiduciaries to NICS
On February 17, 2026, President Trump’s Department of Veterans Affairs announced it would cease the long-standing practice of reporting veterans who use fiduciaries to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS).
Earlier, on February 27, 2024, Breitbart News highlighted concerns surrounding veterans’ gun rights, which have been frequently targeted by some politicians opposed to the Second Amendment.
In a report from February 2016, during the Obama administration, it was noted that many veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan, who might need mental health support for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), were hesitant to seek treatment. They feared that a PTSD diagnosis could jeopardize their gun rights. One veteran, who used a wheelchair, shared anonymously with Breitbart News his anxieties about visiting the doctor, worrying that just one conversation could lead to losing his ability to own a firearm.
This concern wasn’t just limited to mental health treatment; veterans worried they would face a difficult choice between getting help with financial matters and retaining their gun rights.
With the announcement from Trump’s VA, veterans can now feel more secure that fears of repercussions for utilizing fiduciaries are addressed.
The Department of Veterans Affairs has initiated important measures to safeguard veterans’ Second Amendment rights. Effective immediately, it will stop categorizing veterans as “prohibited persons” in the NICS simply because they require fiduciary help with their VA benefits.
The Veterans Administration also noted that:
Alongside the immediate cessation of reporting veterans in the Veterans Trustee Program to NICS, the Department is collaborating with the FBI to expunge past records of veterans from NICS. This aims to ensure that veterans are not unjustly stripped of their Second Amendment rights solely due to their involvement in the Trustee Program.
Attorney General Pam Bondi remarked, “It is illegal and unacceptable that the constitutional rights of veterans who have served our country are at risk. We take pride in collaborating on this matter.” She added that efforts are underway to direct the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to reassess regulations and propose changes to prevent violations of veterans’ Second Amendment rights in the future.
