The National Rifle Association has strongly opposed reports of the Department of Justice considering restrictions on transgender individuals’ ability to own firearms. The potential policy, which remains in early stages and is not an official administration stance, has drawn criticism from conservative gun advocates.
In a Friday statement, the NRA asserted that the Second Amendment guarantees all law-abiding Americans the right to purchase, possess, and use firearms. “The NRA does not, and will not, support any policy proposals that implement sweeping gun bans that arbitrarily strip law-abiding citizens of their Second Amendment rights without due process,” the group said.
The discussions emerged amid broader debates over transgender policies and gun regulations. A recent shooting at a Minnesota Catholic Church, in which Robin Westman—identified as Robert through 2019—killed two children and injured others before dying by suicide, has been cited as a point of contention. Westman’s firearms were obtained legally, according to the Associated Press.
Other gun rights groups, including Gun Owners of America, have also rejected the proposed restrictions, emphasizing their opposition to “any and all gun bans.”