US reinstates ‘gun show loophole’ amid rollback of firearms restrictions

The US justice department has rolled back several significant restrictions on guns, including reinstating the so-called “gun show loophole”, which allowed people at such events to buy firearms without a background check.

The changes, announced by the acting attorney general, Todd Blanche, amount to a shift in firearm policy advocated by supporters of the second amendment, who are prominent in Donald Trump’s supporter base.

Blanche claimed the changes bring gun regulations in line with supreme court rulings, while cutting down on red tape on firearms sellers and owners. He called the slate of revisions the “most comprehensive regulatory reform package in the history” of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

In 2024, the Biden administration closed the “gun show loophole”, which freed firearms dealers from running background checks on buyers at gun shows and other places outside brick-and-mortar stores. The Biden administration began requiring anyone “engaged in the business” of selling firearms for profit to obtain a federal firearms license (FFL) and conduct background checks whether they were selling guns at gun shows, online, or in person.

Gun rights groups and Republican-led states had challenged the rule in court, arguing it violated the constitutional amendment on the right to bears arms and that Joe Biden, as president, did not have the authority to implement it.

“For too long, regulations were written without any real understanding of how firearms businesses operate, how lawful gun owners handle their firearms, or what truly improves public safety,” Blanche said.

The new plans also include rescinding a 2023 rule that restricted pistol braces, an attachment that enables the shooter to hold the weapon against their shoulder like a rifle. A federal court had already struck down that rule.

“Nothing we are doing today weakens law enforcement,” Blanche added.

Gun control groups said the administration is pandering to gun rights activists and predicted the country would be less safe.

“Four days after the nation watched gunfire break out at the White House correspondents’ dinner, the Trump administration’s answer is to gut commonsense gun safety laws and sabotage the only federal agency dedicated to keeping guns out of criminal hands,” said John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety.

In a fundraising email, the group said Trump’s response to gun violence had been to “gut commonsense gun safety laws and sabotage the only federal agency dedicated to keeping guns out of criminal hands”.

The changes come as a new ATF head was confirmed by the US Senate. Robert Cekada, a longtime law enforcement officer, had been running the agency responsible for enforcing the country’s gun laws, for the last year as its deputy director.

“Rob is exactly the right person to lead the ATF at this moment,” Blanche said.

The changes follow promises by the administration to weaken gun regulation. In one of his first executive orders, in February last year, Trump directed the justice department “to assess any ongoing infringements of the second amendment rights of our citizens”. He later established a section of the civil rights division focused on gun rights.