Administration decision to uphold firearm parts regulation draws backlash from gun rights organizations citing unfulfilled promises
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
The Department of Justice under President Donald Trump has opted to continue enforcing a federal firearms regulation introduced during the prior administration, prompting criticism from Second Amendment advocacy groups who say campaign commitments to reverse such policies remain unmet.
The rule in question expands the federal definition of a firearm “frame” or “receiver,” applying regulatory requirements to partially assembled firearm kits often referred to as “ghost guns.” Under the policy, these kits are treated similarly to fully manufactured firearms, including requirements for serial numbers and background checks. The regulation originally took effect during the previous administration, as outlined in a Justice Department announcement that the rule went into effect.
Gun Owners of America, citing internal government communication, said the current administration has chosen to preserve the rule. Aidan Johnston, the organization’s Director of Federal Affairs, said the move contradicts prior assurances.
“On the campaign trail, President Trump promised to end Biden’s ATF rules, and just last week the White House appeared to affirm his commitment to ending what it called the three major attacks on gun owners by the Biden administration,” Johnston said in a statement.
He added that multiple regulations remain active, including those affecting pistol braces, firearm sales classifications, and component definitions. “Yet, all three major Biden ATF rules are in full effect: the Pistol Brace Ban Rule, the Engaged in the Business Rule, and now the Frame and Receiver Rule,” Johnston said. “Gun owners feel betrayed and abandoned as we head into the midterms. Promises made have not yet been kept. We encourage President Trump to clean house at the Department of Justice, to use the appointment of a new Attorney General to revamp the department’s gun policy, and to execute on his campaign promises to gun owners.”
The DOJ has not publicly responded to inquiries regarding the decision.
In a message circulated publicly, a department attorney indicated that the government would not alter its current position on the rule. The communication, shared via social media, stated that after reviewing the policy in light of a presidential directive, the administration would continue enforcing the existing definition. The message referenced ongoing litigation and was included in an email posted online.
🚨BREAKING🚨
Trump's Department of Justice has decided to ADOPT Biden's anti-gun rule that heavily restricts homemade firearms.
This is in stark contrast to the White House, which just called this Biden rule an "attack" on gun owners that "undermine[s] the Second Amendment." pic.twitter.com/7ev3B8sQof
— Gun Owners of America (@GunOwners) April 9, 2026
The review followed the issuance of a presidential directive earlier this year titled “Protecting Second Amendment Rights”. That order called for evaluation of federal firearms regulations, though advocacy organizations say it has not led to substantive changes.
The Firearms Policy Coalition said the directive has not translated into meaningful action. “In May 2025, FPC provided the Trump White House, DOJ, and ATF with a complete, print-ready proposed rule to address the Court’s decision following months of dialogue with key officials,” the group said. “But the Administration has since sat on its hands.” The organization added, “Whoever is steering the Trump Administration is aiming the Titanic directly at the iceberg.”
The regulatory framework was upheld earlier this year when the Supreme Court affirmed the legality of the expanded definition in a ruling that can be reviewed in the Court’s official opinion.
Legal analysts and advocates have noted that the rule is administrative in nature, rather than a statute passed by Congress. Kostas Moros of the Second Amendment Foundation wrote that such rules can be rescinded by subsequent administrations. “It’s just a rule adopted by one Admin, and the next is free to scrap it. They don’t have to keep it, and until now, it looked like they weren’t going to. Clearly, something abruptly changed,” he said in a statement shared on X.
Despite the controversy, the DOJ has taken other actions that have been viewed more favorably by some gun rights advocates. Earlier this year, federal authorities reversed a prior enforcement policy that imposed strict compliance penalties on licensed firearms dealers, and later introduced a proposal intended to create a process for certain individuals to regain firearm rights. Details of that proposal were outlined in a Justice Department release.
In addition, the department has supported a legal challenge involving concealed carry restrictions in Hawaii, as reflected in filings before the Supreme Court in the case documented in the Court’s docket materials.
The decision to retain the “frame or receiver” rule is likely to remain a focal point of debate among firearms policy groups, particularly as legal challenges and regulatory reviews continue.
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