President Trump’s Department of Justice has reached a settlement that officially ends the Biden administration’s ban on forced reset triggers (FRTs), marking a major shift in federal firearms policy and a significant victory for Second Amendment advocates.
The case, National Association for Gun Rights v. Garland, was filed to challenge the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) classification of certain FRTs as illegal machineguns. That classification, initiated under President Biden, led to the seizure and voluntary surrender of FRTs across the country. The Trump administration’s DOJ made clear Friday it will not enforce or defend the ban moving forward.
Attorney General Pam Bondi, speaking on behalf of Trump’s DOJ, stated, “This Department of Justice believes that the Second Amendment is not a second-class right… We are glad to end a needless cycle of litigation with a settlement that will enhance public safety.”
As part of the settlement, the DOJ rejected the Biden-era redefinition of FRTs as machineguns, calling the ATF’s approach arbitrary. The agreement mandates that all FRTs taken through seizure or voluntary surrender under Biden’s policies be returned to their lawful owners.
The DOJ also reaffirmed its commitment to the Second Amendment’s clear language: “Shall not be infringed.”
Dudley Brown, president of the National Association for Gun Rights, celebrated the outcome. “This is a major victory over the ATF’s ludicrous prosecution of Rare Breed and their forced reset triggers. Now we’re turning our sights on the many other infringements of the Second Amendment.”
The decision is being hailed as a pivotal rollback of Biden’s gun control efforts and a renewed affirmation of gun rights under the Trump administration.
