Pam Bondi's Questionable Track Record on Second Amendment Issues
President Trump, in his second term, appointed Pam Bondi as U.S. Attorney General and she was sworn into office on February 5, 2025. The Second Amendment community has been vocal and suspicious of Ms. Bondi’s ability to impartially fulfill this office given her public stance on important Second Amendment issues, including supporting “red flag” laws, bans on firearms for adults under 21, and bans on bump stocks. This tracker aims to be an impartial and objective timeline of Ms. Bondi’s actions as U.S. Attorney General with the intention of holding our public servants accountable.
We will update this tracker as Pam Bondi performs her job in relation to the Second Amendment. If there’s something you believe should be included, you can contact us by clicking here.
Timeline of Pam Bondi's Actions
Pam Bondi's DOJ pursues criminal charges for possession of a handgun with a stabilizing brace and a short-barreled rifle
The Department of Justice is pursuing criminal charges against an individual in U.S. v. Taranto for possessing a handgun with a pistol stabilizing brace (in violation of Washington DC's licensing provisions), AND also a short-barreled rifle, in violation of the National Firearms Act. The case is relevant because there are multiple court injunctions halting the ATF's pistol brace rule, and it's not possible for a firearm to be classified as both a pistol AND a short-barreled rifle (SBR). Both Gun Owners of America (GOA) and the Firearms Regulatory Accountability Coalition (FRAC) are urging the Department of Justice to drop the charge.
April 12, 2025
ATF's second-in-command forced out by Pam Bondi's Department of Justice
Marvin Richardson, the second-ranking official at the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has resigned after being given the option to quit or be fired. Richardson served in the ATF for decades under multiple Presidents. He was Acting Director from 2021 to 2022 and a driving force behind the ATF’s war on pistol braces and privately manufactured firearms.
April 10, 2025
Pam Bondi's Department of Justice announces creation of a Second Amendment task force
The Department of Justice, under Pam Bondi, announces creation of a Second Amendment Task Force in a memo obtained by gun rights groups. The memo reads:
“For too long, the Second Amendment, which establishes the fundamental individual right of Americans to keep and bear arms, has been treated as a second-class right. No more. It is the policy of this Department of Justice to use its full might to protect the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens.”
April 8, 2025
Pam Bondi and Kash Patel announce the repeal of ATF's "Zero Tolerance Policy" which has put many legit gun dealers out of business
The DOJ (under Pam Bondi) and the ATF (under Kash Patel) announce the repeal of the Federal Firearms Administrative Action Policy, also known as the "Zero Tolerance Policy" — the Biden era rule that aggressively targeted gun dealers for minor paperwork errors.
They also announce they will begin formal reviews of the stabilizing brace rule and the unlawful “engaged in the business” rule that targeted private gun sellers.
April 7, 2025
Pam Bondi's DOJ requests extension of time in 2nd Amendment case to reconsider position
Under Pam Bondi's leadership, the DOJ requested a 30-day extension in a prominent Second Amendment case to reevaluate its stance in light of President Trump’s Executive Order directing the DOJ to safeguard Second Amendment rights. The lawsuit, inherited from the previous administration, addresses problematic schemes in issuing carry permits.
April 5, 2025
The Department of Justice uses anti-gun ATF rule to keep innocent man in prison
Patrick Adamiak, was convicted of possession of inoperable and replica machine guns, parts kits and other weapons memorabilia and sentenced to 20 years in prison. The ATF lied and likely fabricated evidence against him. On March 28, Justice Department U.S. Attorney Erik Siebert sent a letter to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals citing the Supreme Court's Bondi v. Vanderstok ruling to deny Adamiak's appeal to his wrongful conviction.
March 28, 2025
The Department of Justice announces investigation into California and other states that infringe on the Second Amendment
The DOJ announces that its Civil Rights Division will investigate "...restrictive firearms-related laws in California and other States” and hold them accountable for infringing on the Second Amendment. The memo asserts that "The Supreme Court has repeatedly recognized that the Second Amendment is not a 'second-class right.'”
March 27, 2025
Justice Department announces re-evaluation of litigation positions on topics such as suppressors
Chad Mizelle, Chief of Staff for the Department of Justice, under AG Pam Bondi's leadership took to Twitter in his official capacity to announce the re-evaluation of the Justice Department's litigation positions in terms of long-regulated issues, such as suppressors.
Protecting the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens is a high priority for @AGPamBondi. To that end, the Department will be re-evaluating some of its recent litigation positions on Second Amendment issues, including silencers.
— Chad Mizelle (@ChadMizelle47) March 24, 2025
March 24, 2025
Professor Robert Leider named Chief Counsel and Assistant Director of ATF
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has brought on Professor Robert Leider as Chief Counsel and Assistant Director for the ATF. Leider is known as a strong supporter of Constitutional rights, and in particular, gun rights and this appointment is seen as very beneficial for the Second Amendment.
March 21, 2025
DOJ, under Attorney General Pam Bondi, issues interim final rule to allow for restoration of gun rights at the federal level
The "Schumer Amendment" prohibited ATF from using federal funds to process gun rights restoration applications. There has been no avenue to restore one's gun rights at the federal level since 1992. The interim final rule was made prompted by Executive Order 14206.
March 19, 2025
NRA v. Bondi — Eleventh Circuit Upholds Florida’s Ban on Firearm Purchases by Those Under 21
Pam Bondi defended the state of Florida's prohibition on young adults under the age of 21 from buying rifles. As mentioned in the first element of this timeline, Ms. Bondi was vocal in her support for this law back in 2018 after the school shooting in Parkland, Florida.
March 18, 2025
Deadline Passes on AG Bondi to submit a report to President Trump as to which Biden-era policies infringe on the Second Amendment
When President Trump issued executive order 14206, he gave U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi 30 days to provide him with a report on all Biden-era infringements of the Second Amendment. The 30 day deadline came and went with no such report provided.
March 9, 2025
President Trump signs Executive Order 14206 protecting the Second Amendment
Keeping true to his campaign promises, President Trump signed an executive order directing Attorney General Pam Bondi to find and eliminate infringements on our Second Amendment rights.
Read our coverage of this monumental event here.
February 7, 2025
Pam Bondi is sworn in as the United States Attorney General
Given Pam Bondi's record of support for gun laws that the Second Amendment community is largely opposed to, people like News2A contributor Dan Wos ponder what her tenure will be like.
Will the New U.S. Attorney General Defend the 2nd Amendment?
February 5, 2025
Donald J. Trump sworn in as the 47th President of the United States
January 20, 2025
Florida AG Pam Bondi vocally expresses support for "red flag" laws
After the Parkland school shooting in Florida, Pam Bondi supported "red flag" laws, raising the age to purchase a firearm to 21, and banning bump stocks.
Put this in reverse chronological order so we don’t have to keep scrolling to the bottom like an ape just to see what’s new.