Trump orders DOJ not to appeal ruling on firearm restrictions

President Trump has ordered the Department of Justice not to appeal a court ruling that eases restrictions on certain firearms often referred to as “gangster weapons.” The decision allows for the possession and sale of items such as short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, and silencers with reduced government oversight.

The ruling originated in August from U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix, a Trump appointee in the Northern District of Texas, who determined that most restrictions under the National Firearms Act of 1934 were unconstitutional. For nearly a century, these weapons have been strictly regulated, requiring applicants to undergo fingerprinting, registration with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and detailed written applications.

Sources indicate that the decision to forgo an appeal runs contrary to the advice of various career and political lawyers within the Justice Department. These officials have warned that the ruling is already impacting federal firearms prosecutions and may conflict with the department’s “duty to defend” legal principle.