President Donald Trump was really the only choice for president among gun rights supporters. Sure, some liberal gun owners might have preferred Kamala Harris for various reasons, but it wasn’t because of her stance on guns, that’s for sure.
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However, that doesn’t inherently mean Trump had to be all that great about guns. He could have just promised not to infringe on our rights and, frankly, that would have been enough in a lot of our books if we’re being honest.
But he was more than that, which was even better. He vowed to support the Second Amendment.
Yet we all know talk is cheap. He may well have said what he said then not done anything.
That’s not how Trump rolled. It started with his executive order to Attorney General Pam Bondi. Then he named FBI Director Kash Patel to also run the ATF.
And with that, the truth is that Trump has made good on his word to support the Second Amendment.
President Trump is five weeks into his second term, and he’s already off to a strong start in following through with his commitment to protect Americans’ Second Amendment rights. His executive orders directing the Department of Justice to put together a comprehensive pro-Second Amendment plan of action and ending the weaponization of the federal government are historic enough, but by making FBI Director Kash Patel the acting head of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Trump can make even greater strides towards putting an end to federal law enforcement’s politicization against law-abiding Americans.
As both FBI director and acting ATF director, Patel has been presented with an historic opportunity to realign the ATF with its core mission: to go after criminals and protect the Second Amendment. Trump can cement his legacy as a hero to America’s 107 million gun owners by nominating an ATF director who understands and is equipped to execute this mission.
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Among law enforcement agencies, the ATF is unique. It is responsible for both investigating violations of federal firearms law and for regulating the firearms industry as a whole. This dual regulatory and enforcement role means the ideal choice for permanent ATF director would be someone who respects the individual liberties enumerated in the Constitution and has a commitment to go after actual criminals.
In recent decades, ATF directors have either been drawn exclusively from the ranks of law enforcement – usually from the ATF itself – or previously served as public prosecutors. The results of limiting the selection pool have been mixed. There is no doubt law enforcement leadership plays an important role in protecting our rights. But our opponents’ primary weapon of choice is to impede or deny our constitutional rights through regulatory bureaucracy.
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You should read the whole thing, but it outlines all the ways Kash Patel running the ATF is, ultimately, a good thing. The writer, Michael Williamson of the American Suppressor Association, notes that Patel’s efforts will need to be followed up by his eventual permanent successor, but while that’s probably true, it’s also worth noting that there isn’t a great track record of there being a permanent director of the ATF.
It’s a political minefield getting anyone confirmed because of the ATF’s dual rule for both investigation and regulation. On the issue of guns, there is no more important role than the ATF director.
But that’s a discussion for another time.
For right now, Patel is the one calling the shots, and him coming from outside of law enforcement circles and as someone who is a profound supporter for the right to keep and bear arms, he’s probably the very best choice we could get to run this particular agency. He’s not going to allow infringements via regulation to get through on his watch, for one thing, which is probably more than we could have hoped all things considered, but he can also stamp out the rogue inspectors and investigators that are making things far too difficult for law-abiding gun dealers.
I even hope that he and Bondi will be able to join forces, along with President Trump, and do something about the travesty of justice that is the case of Patrick Tate Adamiak.
The ATF shouldn’t deserve the hostility so many of us give it, but it does.
Trump tapping Patel to run it, at least for now, is a clear nod that he understands where we’re coming from on this matter and is taking our concerns seriously. That’s more than the previous administration would have ever considered.
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Frankly, that makes me feel much better about the next four years than I probably would have otherwise.
