In the wake of the horrific assassination attempt on President Trump at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, you’d think the media might pause to reflect on real threats like political violence. Instead, The Trace—a gun-control outfit funded by billionaire Michael Bloomberg—is back at it, playing its favorite name-and-shame game by spotlighting a California gun retailer as if they had a crystal ball predicting the attack. The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) is calling foul, accusing The Trace of cherry-picking the retailer’s name from ATF trace data on firearms recovered in crimes, implying some sinister connection to the shooter without evidence or context. This isn’t journalism; it’s activism disguised as reporting, weaponizing public records to demonize lawful businesses that comply with every federal and state regulation.

Let’s unpack the sleight of hand here. ATF trace data, which The Trace loves to tout, only shows where a gun was first sold—not who owned it at the time of a crime, how it got there, or if it was legally transferred multiple times since. In this case, the retailer’s involvement likely ends at a standard background-checked sale years ago, yet The Trace drags them into the spotlight post-assassination attempt to fuel their narrative that gun shops = public danger. It’s a classic strawman: ignore the shooter’s ideology, mental state, or illegal acquisition paths, and instead harass an innocent FFL holder who’s probably donated more to community safety programs than The Trace has to actual crime victims. NSSF’s pushback highlights a deeper pattern—over 90% of traced crime guns originate from states with strict gun laws like California, per ATF’s own stats, yet outlets like The Trace rarely name-and-shame their own backyard policies.

For the 2A community, this is a stark reminder of the stakes: every high-profile incident becomes fodder for guilt-by-association attacks on retailers, eroding the backbone of our industry. If unchecked, it chills compliance—why risk the doxxing when the media narrative is predetermined? Gun owners and FFLs need to rally behind NSSF’s defense, amplify these exposures on social media, and demand transparency from ATF on trace misuse. The real trace we should follow? The Trace’s funding trail straight back to anti-2A elites who prioritize headlines over healing after tragedy. Stay vigilant; our Second Amendment hangs in the balance.