Senior officials at the Department of Justice have recently held meetings on whether to pursue a federal ban on firearm ownership for transgender individuals, according to reports.
Sources told Washington Post that the DOJ’s Office of Legal Counsel (OLC), which advises the Attorney General, has discussed the issue following last week’s school shooting in Minneapolis. The attack, carried out by a transgender individual, left two children dead and 21 others injured.
Legal Focus
The discussions reportedly center on whether gender dysphoria can be classified as a mental illness for the purposes of firearm restrictions. That designation could provide the legal grounds to bar transgender individuals from owning guns.
While no final decision has been made, the meetings indicate possible movement under Attorney General Pam Bondi toward restricting Second Amendment rights for this group.
Support and Opposition
Conservative commentators have argued in favor of such a move. “If you are crazy enough to want to hormonally and surgically ‘change your sex,’ you have a mental disorder, and you are too crazy to own a firearm,” Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk posted on X.
A DOJ source also framed the measure as a form of “common sense gun laws,” noting Democrats have long advocated for tighter firearm restrictions.
Political Response
Vice President JD Vance traveled to Minneapolis this week to meet with the families of victims. He called for bipartisan solutions but stopped short of prescribing specific policies.
“There’s a strong desire from across the political spectrum to do something so that these shootings are less common,” Vance said.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who was the Democratic nominee for vice president in 2024, has instead pushed for broader gun control. His state has declared itself a “trans refuge,” a policy that has sparked controversy in light of the attack.
