The Department of Justice and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives announced a landmark package of 34 final and proposed rules on Wednesday aimed at easing regulatory burdens on law-abiding gun owners and firearms businesses.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and newly confirmed ATF Director Robert Cekada presented the reforms during a press conference in Washington. The changes stem from a comprehensive review of existing regulations conducted under Executive Order 14206, "Protecting Second Amendment Rights." Officials described the package as the most significant modernization of ATF rules in the agency's history.

Blanche stated, "The Second Amendment is not a second-class right. The Department of Justice is ending the weaponization of federal authority against law-abiding gun owners. We will continue to vigorously defend their rights as the Constitution demands." Cekada added that ATF's enforcement would prioritize "willful violators and criminal actors, not inadvertent compliance issues by responsible owners and licensees."

Among the highlighted proposals is the repeal of a 2024 Biden-era rule that expanded the definition of who qualifies as "engaged in the business" of selling firearms, which had required background checks for more sales at gun shows and other non-storefront locations. The package also seeks to rescind the 2023 stabilizing brace rule, which classified many pistols with braces as short-barreled rifles subject to stricter National Firearms Act regulations.

Additional prior actions under the Trump administration's reforms include repealing the Enhanced Regulatory Enforcement Policy, known as the "Zero Tolerance Policy," which had led to license revocations over minor paperwork errors. A new Administrative Action Policy now emphasizes public safety and firearm traceability over immaterial violations. Other steps involve creating a classifications board for firearm reviews, improving response times to industry inquiries, and restricting NICS alerts to federal trafficking cases.

The Senate confirmed Cekada this week as the agency's permanent director, the third Senate-approved leader since 2006. Previously serving as deputy director, Cekada oversaw operations amid ongoing debates over ATF's regulatory role.

Gun rights advocates praised the moves as a restoration of Second Amendment protections, aligning rules with Supreme Court precedents like those limiting agency overreach. Gun control groups, however, decried the changes. John Feinblatt of Everytown for Gun Safety called them a gutting of "commonsense gun safety laws." Senator Chris Murphy labeled the rules a "gun lobby wish list" that could endanger communities.

ATF has posted summaries of the 34 rules on its website and invited public comments through Regulations.gov, with most periods open for 90 days. The agency plans further regulatory updates as part of its "New Era of Reform," launched in 2025 to build trust with the firearms industry.