In a major shift in federal gun policy, the Trump administration will now allow the sale of forced-reset triggers, a controversial device that increases the firing rate of semiautomatic rifles, after the Department of Justice settled multiple legal challenges over the issue.
The settlement, announced Friday, ends the federal government’s ban on the triggers, and requires authorities to return thousands of devices that were seized or surrendered under the prior classification that labeled them illegal machine guns.
“This Department of Justice believes that the 2nd Amendment is not a second-class right,” said Attorney General Pam Bondi in a statement, framing the move as part of a broader rollback of gun regulations pursued by the Trump administration.
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The policy reversal stems from a legal battle with Rare Breed Triggers, the manufacturer of forced-reset triggers, which had long argued that its product does not violate federal firearms law. The company claimed the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) overstepped its authority when it sought to classify the triggers as machine gun conversion devices.
Under the agreement, Rare Breed Triggers is barred from developing versions of the device for handguns, but the company hailed the outcome as a “landmark victory.”
“The ATF and DOJ tried to silence and bury us not because we broke the law, but because I refused to bend to the will of a tyrannical administration,” said Lawrence DeMonico, president of Rare Breed Triggers.
The lawsuit’s resolution marks a stark departure from the Biden administration’s efforts to crack down on high-powered gun modifications. Gun control advocates immediately condemned the decision.
“The Trump administration has just effectively legalized machine guns. Lives will be lost because of his actions,” said Vanessa Gonzalez, vice president of GIFFORDS, a national gun control advocacy organization.
Forced-reset triggers replace the factory trigger on rifles like the AR-15, allowing a new round to be fired each time the trigger “resets” during recoil, significantly increasing the rate of fire. Gun control groups argue the devices mimic fully automatic fire, sidestepping federal laws on machine guns and posing a serious public safety risk.
The devices became the subject of multiple lawsuits and enforcement actions beginning under the Biden administration, which sought to block their sale, citing public safety concerns and the potential for mass shooting applications.
The legal fight was led by David Warrington, now White House Counsel under Trump, who previously represented Rare Breed Triggers and argued that the ATF’s classification violated constitutional protections and due process.
Under the settlement:
- The ATF must return all previously seized or voluntarily surrendered triggers.
- Rare Breed Triggers may resume selling the devices for rifles but not for handguns.
- The federal government drops its classification of the devices as machine guns.
The move is part of a larger deregulatory push by the Trump administration on firearms, a sharp contrast to Biden-era policies like restrictions on “ghost guns” and bump stocks.
What’s Next?
Legal experts say this sets a precedent that could influence how other firearm accessories are treated under the law, particularly as Second Amendment cases continue to advance in the courts. Gun safety groups, meanwhile, have pledged to challenge the ruling through legislation or renewed lawsuits.
