Trump Administration Challenges Anti-Gun Narratives as Crime Concerns Persist

Crime remains a significant concern for Americans, with 66% viewing it as a major problem nationally and 81% specifically concerned about crime in large cities, according to an August 2025 poll by the Associated Press/NORC. The survey, conducted shortly after President Donald Trump’s intervention in Washington, D.C.’s law enforcement, found 55% of Americans supported the administration’s use of federal resources to address crime in the nation’s capital.

The contrasting approaches to crime and gun policy between the current Trump administration and former President Biden’s administration have highlighted fundamental differences in how each views the relationship between firearms, public safety, and constitutional rights.

During his presidency, Biden characterized guns as a “public health crisis” through executive actions that sought to shift the national conversation around violent crime. This approach gained traction in 1983 when the CDC began applying public health methodologies to traditionally criminal justice issues, treating firearms like contagious disease vectors.

Former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy formalized this perspective in June 2024 with a 40-page advisory titled “Firearm Violence: A Public Health Crisis in America.” The Trump administration quickly rejected this characterization upon taking office, with the President ordering the removal of Murthy’s advisory from Department of Health and Human Services websites last March as part of his “Protecting Second Amendment Rights” executive order.

Trump’s approach to crime reduction has focused on law enforcement rather than gun restrictions. After taking control of D.C.’s police force, violent crime reportedly plummeted in the capital. Simultaneously, the administration expedited concealed-carry permit processing in the District, reflecting a belief that armed citizens contribute to public safety.

“With these actions to ensure law-abiding Americans have tangible and timely access to right-to-carry permits, the Trump administration has demonstrated an informed understanding of the Second Amendment right to bear arms outside the home,” said the NRA Institute for Legislative Action.

Research from the Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund appears to support the administration’s approach. Their study examining homicide trends during 2020-2022 “de-policing” and subsequent “re-policing” periods found increased police activity corresponded with lower homicide rates across 15 cities studied.

The administration has also challenged several common assertions about firearms and crime. While gun control advocates often claim that firearms dealers contribute significantly to crime, ATF data shows the average “time-to-crime” for firearms is 6.76 years—suggesting that legally purchased firearms typically spend significant time in lawful possession before being connected to criminal activity.

Attorney General Pam Bondi has established a Second Amendment Task Force within the Department of Justice, declaring that “the prior administration placed an undue burden on gun owners and vendors by targeting law-abiding citizens exercising their Second Amendment rights.” This task force represents an unprecedented elevation of gun rights within the DOJ’s civil rights framework.

The administration has also taken action against jurisdictions it believes are improperly delaying gun rights, launching an investigation into the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department over allegedly excessive processing times for firearm permits. “The Supreme Court has repeatedly recognized that the Second Amendment is not ‘a second-class right,'” Bondi stated when announcing the investigation.

In policy actions, the administration has opposed bans on semi-automatic rifles commonly referred to as “assault weapons,” filing an amicus brief in the case Barnett v. Raoul arguing that Illinois’ ban violates Supreme Court guidance against prohibiting arms “in common use” by law-abiding citizens.

On July 4th, President Trump signed legislation removing the $200 tax on firearm suppressors, though these devices remain regulated under the National Firearms Act. This action reflects the administration’s view that suppressors are primarily hearing protection devices rather than tools for criminal activity.

As debates about crime and gun policy continue, the administration has challenged assertions that violent crime is primarily a “red state problem,” with analysts noting that homicide rates tend to be higher in urban areas regardless of state political alignment, often in cities with progressive criminal justice policies.