On Friday, February 7, President Trump signed a three-page Executive Order entitled, “Protecting Second Amendment Rights.”
This is the first official communication from the White House on gun rights and the Second Amendment under the new administration, and sets a very positive tone after a political race that left many wondering exactly what the administration’s stance would be on this critical issue.
See President Trump’s Executive Order protecting 2nd Amendment Rights here.
The order is composed of four parts:
- Purpose
- Plan of Action
- Implementation
- General Provisions
As with many executive orders, it lacks specifics, but lays out the framework for what it intends to accomplish.
The most critical part is the summary statement:
The Second Amendment is an indispensable safeguard of security and liberty. It has preserved the right of the American people to protect ourselves, our families, and our freedoms since the founding of our great Nation. Because it is foundational to maintaining all other rights held by Americans, the right to keep and bear arms must not be infringed.
Another powerful statement that gives some indication of what the President might be thinking lies in part of the Plan of Action:
The Attorney General shall examine… executive departments and agencies (agencies) to assess any ongoing infringements of the Second Amendment rights of our citizens, and present a proposed plan of action to the President.
“After a long four years, law-abiding gun owners no longer have to worry about being the target of an anti-gun radical administration,” said John Commerford, Executive Director of the NRA Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA). “NRA looks forward to the advances and restoration of our rights that will come from President Trump’s respect for the Constitution.”
“By planning to dismantle Biden’s anti-gun agenda and rein in the ATF, President Trump is making good on his word to protect and defend the Second Amendment,” said Erich Pratt, Senior Vice President of GOA, adding, “The ATF has been weaponized for too long against law-abiding Americans, and it’s past time to rein in this rogue agency. GOA looks forward to working with this administration to restore and expand gun rights across the country.”
We will continue to cover this story as it unfolds.
