Multiple gun rights organizations that have been staunch allies of President Trump are now turning their fire on his own administration after officials appeared to "demonize" armed Americans following a deadly Border Patrol shooting in Minneapolis over the weekend.
The controversy erupted after Border Patrol agents fatally shot Alex Pretti, an anti-ICE protester who was reportedly armed during confrontations on a Minneapolis street. But instead of backing the agents' right to defend themselves, Trump administration officials seemed to suggest that armed civilians created the dangerous situation.
Gun rights groups are absolutely livid about what they see as a betrayal of core Second Amendment principles by an administration they helped put in power.
"This is exactly the kind of anti-gun rhetoric we'd expect from the Biden regime, not from Trump officials," said one prominent gun rights advocate who spoke on condition of anonymity. "They're basically saying that exercising your constitutional right to bear arms makes you a threat."
The backlash highlights a growing tension between the administration's tough immigration enforcement agenda and its commitment to constitutional rights. Patriots who support both secure borders AND gun rights are asking a simple question: Why can't we have both?
This isn't just about one incident in Minneapolis. Gun owners across America are watching to see if Trump officials will stand firm on Second Amendment principles or cave to the same anti-gun narratives pushed by the mainstream media and Democrat politicians.
The timing couldn't be worse for an administration that owes much of its political success to unwavering support from gun rights advocates. These are the same patriots who turned out in massive numbers to give Trump his decisive 2024 victory.
Will the Trump administration course-correct and reaffirm its commitment to law-abiding armed citizens? Or will it continue down this dangerous path of appeasing anti-gun forces? The answer could determine whether Trump maintains the loyalty of one of his most important political constituencies.