Monday, February 23, 2026

Trump DOJ Considering Gun Restrictions for Transgenders: Report.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: The Department of Justice (DOJ) is considering imposing restrictions that would prevent those undergoing gender transition or diagnosed with gender dysphoria from purchasing firearms.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The DOJ, gun owners, and transgenders.

📍WHEN & WHERE:  DOJ discussions were revealed on Thursday, September 4, 2025, after a mass shooting at a Catholic mass in Minnesota, carried out by a transgender gunman.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Individuals within the DOJ are reviewing ways to ensure that mentally ill individuals suffering from gender dysphoria are unable to obtain firearms while they are unstable and unwell.” — DOJ Official

🎯IMPACT: The DOJ could move to extend restrictions on gun ownership for the mentally ill to include those who identify as transgender or who are diagnosed with gender dysphoria.

IN FULL

The Department of Justice (DOJ) is considering imposing restrictions that would prevent those undergoing gender transition or diagnosed with gender dysphoria from purchasing firearms. Notably, the potential legal restrictions come in the wake of anti-Trump transgender Robin Westman’s deadly attack on a back-to-school Mass at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota, last week.

Reportedly, the DOJ is discussing internally whether to extend restrictions that bar certain mentally ill people from owning firearms to those with gender dysphoria, which is itself classified as a mental disorder. A DOJ source, speaking with the media, explained: “Individuals within the DOJ are reviewing ways to ensure that mentally ill individuals suffering from gender dysphoria are unable to obtain firearms while they are unstable and unwell.”

Officially, the DOJ is not commenting on the deliberations, with a spokesman only saying that the agency is considering a “range of options.” However, the deadly church shooting in Minnesota last week has sparked a public debate about new restrictions, especially in light of the fact that a number of recent mass shootings were perpetrated by individuals with gender dysphoria or who identified as transgender.

Meanwhile, the Trump White House is believed to be updating its national security strategy to include guidance regarding transgender violence. In January this year, A U.S. Border Patrol officer in Vermont was murdered by two people with ties to a militant transgender extremist group called the “Zizians.” In February, the leader of the “Zizians”— Jack LaSota, a 34-year-old man who identifies as a transgender woman under the alias Andrea Phelps—was arrested in Maryland’s western backcountry.

LaSota had been on the run since he skipped a December trial. Previously, he faked his death to duck prosecution and was even declared deceased in San Mateo County, California.

President Donald J. Trump’s Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was also the target of an assassination plot in January, with the suspect revealed to identify as transgender. Ryan Michael English, also known as Riley Jane, admitted to police that he wanted to kill Treasury Secretary Bessent.

The National Pulse reported last Thursday that Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had announced an investigation into whether psychiatric medication is contributing to the rise in mass shootings, especially those perpetrated by transgender individuals. “I certainly consider mass shootings a health crisis, and we are doing for the first time real studies to find out what the ideology of that is. And we’re looking for the first time at psychiatric drugs,” Kennedy stated.

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Donald Trump Jr. Launching ‘Amazon of Guns’ to Strengthen the Second Amendment.

PULSE POINTS:

What Happened: Donald Trump Jr. is launching an online firearm store called GrabAGun, aiming to make firearms more accessible and fill gaps left by corporate policy changes.

👥 Who’s Involved: Donald Trump Jr., investor Omeed Malik, GrabAGun CEO Marc Nemat, and attorney Colion Noir.

📍 Where & When: Announced on June 3, 2025, with plans to go public soon.

💬 Key Quote: “This is giving [the public] an opportunity with ‘grab a gun,’ to shop the way they shop virtually everything else.” — Donald Trump Jr.

⚠️ Impact: The platform seeks to restore access to firearms and accessories, offering a streamlined online shopping experience while adhering to federal regulations.

IN FULL:

Donald Trump Jr. has announced the upcoming launch of an online firearm retailer, GrabAGun, which he and his partners have described as the “Amazon of guns.” The platform aims to provide a streamlined shopping experience for firearms and accessories while adhering to federal safety regulations.

Speaking to the media on June 3, Trump Jr. explained the motivation behind the venture, highlighting a growing demand for firearms among groups not traditionally associated with gun ownership. “There’s women coming into the marketplace for self-defense,” he said. “There’s a younger generation that’s shifting to the conservative side that understands the need to exercise their Second Amendment.”

GrabAGun will allow customers to purchase firearms online, though federal law requires the weapons to be picked up from authorized and licensed dealers, where standard background checks will be conducted. However, accessories such as scopes and ammunition can be shipped directly to consumers’ homes.

Trump Jr., an avid marksman and hunter, emphasized the venture’s role in filling a void created by changing corporate policies. “Walmart used to be the largest retailer of firearms in America. Corporate policies change, you can no longer have that access,” he noted. “This is covering that void.”

The company has already announced a merger with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) led by investor Omeed Malik, who has previously backed conservative ventures including Tucker Carlson‘s media startup and the “anti-woke” online marketplace Public Square. Malik described the GrabAGun platform as a way for Americans to “buy guns and ammunition online just like you can on Amazon because we have a Second Amendment right.”

The website offers a wide range of products, including rifles, shotguns, small arms, ammunition, and outdoor equipment such as tents and camping gear. Trump Jr. will join the company’s board when it goes public, alongside gun influencer and attorney Colion Noir.

Additionally, Trump Jr. and Malik announced plans for a new social club in Washington, D.C., named the Executive Branch, which will cater to the city’s elite with a $500,000 membership fee.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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Trump DOJ, ATF Roll Back Biden’s ‘Zero Tolerance’ Gun Policy.

PULSE POINTS:

What Happened: The Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) repealed the “Zero Tolerance Policy” established by former President Joe Biden, which enforced strict regulations on federal firearms dealers. They also announced a review of the stabilizing braces policy and the “engaged in the business” rule.

👥 Who’s Involved: The decision involves the DOJ, ATF, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel (also acting director of ATF), and U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi.

📍 Where & When: The announcement was made on April 7, 2025, in the United States.

💬 Key Quote: U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi stated, “The prior administration’s ‘Zero Tolerance’ policy unfairly targeted law-abiding gun owners and created an undue burden on Americans seeking to exercise their constitutional right to bear arms —it ends today.”

⚠️ Impact: The repeal will reduce regulatory pressure on firearms dealers and alter regulations concerning stabilizing braces and the definition of firearms dealers, which could affect private transactions.

IN FULL:

The Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) have rescinded the “Zero Tolerance Policy” implemented under former President Biden. This policy aimed to significantly restrict the operations of federal firearms dealers and tighten gun regulations in the United States.

Under former President Biden, the “Zero Tolerance Policy” applied stringent regulations on firearms dealers, causing contention among Second Amendment advocates who criticized the policy for targeting dealers over minor paperwork inconsistencies rather than severe infractions. The repeal announcement, confirmed on Monday, was accompanied by a planned review of two related rules: the stabilizing braces policy and the definition of being “engaged in the business.”

“The prior administration’s ‘Zero Tolerance’ policy unfairly targeted law-abiding gun owners and created an undue burden on Americans seeking to exercise their constitutional right to bear arms—it ends today,” U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said in announcing the rule repeal. Meanwhile, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel—who also serves as the acting director of the ATF—stated: “Today’s repeal of the Zero Tolerance Policy and the comprehensive review of stabilizing brace regulations and the definition of ‘engaged in the business’ marks a pivotal step toward restoring fairness and clarity in firearms regulation.”

In addition to the policy repeal, the DOJ and ATF announced they will re-evaluate the “engaged in the business” rule, which expanded the definition of a firearms dealer and raised concerns about the potential criminalization of private transactions. Additionally, the former Biden government’s ruling that handguns that utilize stabilizing braces constitute illegal short-barreled rifles is also being reconsidered.

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Gun Sales Rose After Kamala Replaced Biden as Dem Nominee.

Firearm sales have seen an uptick since Vice President Kamala Harris supplanted Joe Biden as the Democratic presidential nominee, reflecting concerns over gun rights being eroded if she wins the White House. The turning point in July also coincided with the first assassination attempt against former President Donald J. Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania.

According to Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) data, there have been approximately 125,000 more sales and 260,000 additional background checks compared to earlier months—although background checks also cover activities beyond gun purchases.

According to adjusted figures from the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), gun sale-related background checks increased by 1.3 percent in September compared to the same month in 2023, totaling 1,156,223. This marks the 62nd consecutive month that gun sales have surpassed one million.

Since she replaced Biden, Harris has been claiming she is herself a gun owner, telling Oprah Winfrey she would personally shoot a home invader. However, she refuses to disclose what kind of firearm she owns or the last time she practiced at a range.

Earlier in her political career in California, Harris said the state should be able to inspect lawful gun owners’ homes, arguing: “Just because you legally possess a gun in the sanctity of your locked home doesn’t mean that we’re not going to walk into that home and check to see if you’re being responsible and safe in the way you conduct your affairs.”

She described this as an example of “legislat[ing] our values… trying to encourage certain types of behavior.”

Harris also sponsored Proposition H, a de facto ban on handgun ownership, sales, and manufacturing that the courts struck down.

Image by Anthony Crider.

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Firearm sales have seen an uptick since Vice President Kamala Harris supplanted Joe Biden as the Democratic presidential nominee, reflecting concerns over gun rights being eroded if she wins the White House. The turning point in July also coincided with the first assassination attempt against former President Donald J. Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania. show more

Harris Claims She’s a Gun Owner Who Respects the Second Amendment. So Why Did She Sponsor Gun-Grab Legislation?

As San Francisco District Attorney (DA), Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris supported Proposition H, aimed at prohibiting residents from possessing, distributing, or manufacturing handguns. The measure, which Harris sponsored, faced significant opposition even within her party. Prominent Democrats such as then-San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom and then-U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein distanced themselves from the local ballot proposal.

Harris currently presents herself as a moderate, claiming she owns a gun and declaring, “If somebody breaks into my house, they’re getting shot, sorry,” in a recent livestream with Oprah Winfrey. However, her past support of Proposition H provides yet another example of her being on the extreme left of the Democratic Party, backing policies including the decriminalization of unlawful border crossings, defunding the police and federal immigration enforcement, and banning fracking before she replaced Joe Biden as the 2024 nominee.

Proposition H was approved in 2005—but invalidated by state courts before it could be implemented. It would have required residents to surrender their handguns within four months. San Francisco was forced to pay $380,000 in settlements to the National Rifle Association, Second Amendment Foundation, California Rifle and Pistol Association, and other plaintiffs challenging it.

Harris also supported the authorities being able to enter gun owners’ homes to “check to see if you’re being responsible and safe” and continues to support a “mandatory buyback program” for semiautomatic “assault” rifles.

Leftist lawmakers such as Elizabeth Warren and progressive activists believe her professed centrism is a pose for the election and that she will return to a far-left agenda, particularly on immigration, once voting is out of the way.

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As San Francisco District Attorney (DA), Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris supported Proposition H, aimed at prohibiting residents from possessing, distributing, or manufacturing handguns. The measure, which Harris sponsored, faced significant opposition even within her party. Prominent Democrats such as then-San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom and then-U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein distanced themselves from the local ballot proposal. show more

WATCH: Kamala Pledged to ‘Enter Gun Owners’ Homes’ & Place Them on Watchlist.

An anti-2nd Amendment video of Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris from 2007 has emerged online, showing her stating that she would support law enforcement entering people’s “locked homes” to check on how they are storing their firearms and place offenders on a watchlist.

Harris, who was serving as the district attorney of San Francisco at the time, discussed the possibility of law enforcement entering gun owners’ locked homes to ensure proper weapon storage while delivering remarks with then-Mayor Gavin Newsom regarding the city’s new gun-control law.

“Just because you legally possess a gun in the sanctity of your locked home doesn’t mean that we’re not going to walk into that home and check to see if you’re being responsible and safe in the way you conduct your affairs,” Harris states, adding: “When we create laws, it’s not only about creating an opportunity to prosecute someone for committing a crime but more importantly when we legislate our values, it’s about trying to encourage certain types of behavior.”

At the same conference, Harris expressed support for a requirement that known gun offenders be placed on a government registry, similar to sex offenders and gang members. “We need to monitor where they live, have them check in from time to time, and let us know where they are,” Harris said.

The NRA criticized Harris after the video resurfaced, asserting that she “wants mass gun confiscation” and would “weaponize the government” to seize legally owned firearms.

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An anti-2nd Amendment video of Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris from 2007 has emerged online, showing her stating that she would support law enforcement entering people's "locked homes" to check on how they are storing their firearms and place offenders on a watchlist. show more

SHALL BE INFRINGED: New Gun Grab Law Criminalizes Shooting Ranges, Private Security.

Democrat lawmakers on Capitol Hill are teeing up legislation that could result in a massive gun grab and criminalize everything from gun safety training groups to firearm ranges as well as private security teams serving at U.S. churches.

The Preventing Private Paramilitary Activity Act of 2024 – introduced by Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) and Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), and reviewed by The National Pulse – creates new federal criminal and civil penalties for armed citizen groups that “publicly patrol, drill, or engage in techniques capable of causing bodily injury or death.” Additionally, the legislation criminalizes groups that “assume the functions of a law enforcement officer, peace officer, or public official, whether or not acting under color of law.”

The House (H.R.6981) and Senate (S.3589) versions of the legislation were introduced recently. Both sit in the Judiciary Committees of their respective chambers. Congressional Democrats claim the legislation is meant to enhance the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) ability to prosecute organized, armed groups who engage in violence and intimidation. However, Rep. Raskin, the lead House sponsor, has also acknowledged the Democrat bill could be used against private militias “[p]atrolling neighborhoods.”

Both Raskin and Markey have leaned heavily on narratives surrounding the January 6 Capitol riots and the 2017 Charlottesville Unite the Right rally as the impetus for their legislation. While a handful of individuals had firearms on January 6, there has been little evidence of any organized militia groups that participated in the riot being armed while at the Capitol — despite the claims by Markey and Raskin. The Oath Keepers acknowledged that they stored a cache of weapons at a hotel several miles away in Northern Virginia. Those were never brought into the District of Columbia or near the Capitol Building.

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Democrat lawmakers on Capitol Hill are teeing up legislation that could result in a massive gun grab and criminalize everything from gun safety training groups to firearm ranges as well as private security teams serving at U.S. churches. show more

Rapper Meek Mill Says Americans Should ‘Strap Up’ To Protect Themselves From Illegals.

Award-winning rapper Meek Mill is advising Americans to be vigilant and protective in a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter), citing increasing violence in American cities. The 36-year-old Philadelphia native, Robert Rihmeek Williams — known professionally as Meek Mill — attributed the spike in urban violence to illegal immigration, a surge of drugs, and a deepening mental health crisis. Mill, who has had a run-in with the law over gun and drug charges and has been imprisoned for probation violations, wrote, “Make sure you strap up in America, it’s extremely dangerous on the streets!”

A Gallup poll from late February indicates a noticeable increase in concern over immigration among Americans. The poll suggests that 28 percent of respondents now view immigration as the nation’s most pressing issue. This is an increase from the 20 percent who said it was their top concern in January. Mill’s comments drew on these sentiments, referring to the presence of “illegal immigrants everywhere,” the proliferation of automatic guns in inner cities, and the predominance of fentanyl-laced drugs.

Meek Mill made headlines last year for his instrumental role in securing the release of fellow rapper 21 Savage from ICE detention. The British-born rapper, real name She’yaa Bin Abraham-Joseph, was arrested in 2019 over an expired visa and had a linked felony drug charge against him. Narrowly avoiding further prison time, she credited Meek Mill and Jay-Z for their interventions, which led to her release.

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Award-winning rapper Meek Mill is advising Americans to be vigilant and protective in a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter), citing increasing violence in American cities. The 36-year-old Philadelphia native, Robert Rihmeek Williams — known professionally as Meek Mill — attributed the spike in urban violence to illegal immigration, a surge of drugs, and a deepening mental health crisis. Mill, who has had a run-in with the law over gun and drug charges and has been imprisoned for probation violations, wrote, “Make sure you strap up in America, it’s extremely dangerous on the streets!” show more
new mexico

New Mexico Sheriff Refuses To Enforce Unconstitutional Gun Ban.

New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham is facing opposition from state law enforcement officials following her attempt to ban the use of concealed and open carry permits based on violent crime rates. Bernalillo County Sheriff John Allen called the 30-day “public health order” unconstitutional during a press conference. Grisham issued the emergency order in response to recent instances of gun violence, but Sheriff Allen claims that law enforcement does not agree with the decision. Grisham has fired back at Allen, ordering him to enforce the order and stating that leaders need to stand up for victims of violent crime.

The temporary suspension of open and concealed carry applies to most public places in Albuquerque and Bernalillo County. Violators could face civil penalties and fines of up to $5,000. While state police are responsible for enforcing the order, not all law enforcement officials, including the district attorney, support it. Grisham defended her decision, citing recent shootings in Albuquerque as the reason for the order.

Among the incidents mentioned were the shooting outside an Albuquerque Isotopes’ field that left an 11-year-old boy dead, the shooting of a 5-year-old girl who was asleep in a mobile home, and a 14-year-old boy using his father’s gun to shoot and kill his friend. Grisham said she expects legal challenges to what many are calling a blatantly unconstitutional order but believes the action, regardless of legality, was necessary to address the issue of gun violence.

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New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham is facing opposition from state law enforcement officials following her attempt to ban the use of concealed and open carry permits based on violent crime rates. Bernalillo County Sheriff John Allen called the 30-day "public health order" unconstitutional during a press conference. Grisham issued the emergency order in response to recent instances of gun violence, but Sheriff Allen claims that law enforcement does not agree with the decision. Grisham has fired back at Allen, ordering him to enforce the order and stating that leaders need to stand up for victims of violent crime. show more