The Trump administration plans to lift a longstanding ban as part of a settlement that will allow for the sale of forced-reset triggers, which enable semi-automatic rifles to fire more rapidly. Additionally, it mandates that the federal government return previously seized devices.
This contract was revealed on Friday by the Department of Justice. It resolves multiple lawsuits regarding aftermarket triggers, which the government had classified as machine guns under federal law.
This shift represents a significant departure from Second Amendment policies under the previous Democratic administration, possibly rolling back many restrictions that efforts led by former President Joe Biden aimed to uphold in the fight against gun violence.
Attorney General Pam Bondy stated, “The Department of Justice believes that the Second Amendment is not a second-rate right.”
Advocates for gun control expressed their concerns, arguing that this settlement would, in fact, worsen gun violence. Vanessa Gonzalez, vice president of governmental and political affairs at the gun control organization Gifford, remarked, “The Trump administration has effectively legalized machine guns, and these actions will endanger lives.”
For years, there have been legal disputes surrounding forced-reset triggers, which replace standard triggers on AR-15-style rifles. The government previously pushed back against these devices, claiming they amounted to illegal machine gun conversion tools since continuous pressure on the trigger allows for ongoing firing, similar to an automatic weapon.
The deal was struck between the Department of Justice and Rare Breed Trigger, which was previously represented by David Warrington, who is now a lawyer for Trump. Rare Breed Trigger argued that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives had misclassified their products and ignored requests to cease sales prior to being sued by the Biden administration.
Lawrence Demonico, president of Rare Breed Trigger, noted, “This victory marks a pivotal moment against unwarranted government overreach.” He asserted that the ATF and DOJ attempted to suppress their business not for legal reasons, but because they wouldn’t comply with government demands.
As part of the settlement, the Department of Justice has agreed that Rare Breed triggers will not be developed for use in handguns. The agreement also stipulates that the ATF must return any seized triggers, or those voluntarily surrendered by their owners, to the rightful parties.
