Michael Bloomberg’s Anti-Gun Agitprop Outlet is Panicked Over the State of ATF Under Trump

January 31, 2026
6:40 am

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No federal agency has withered under President Donald Trump’s second term quite like the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives—or so wails The Trace, Michael Bloomberg’s multimillion-dollar anti-gun echo chamber. In a recent piece dripping with desperation, they paint a picture of an ATF in freefall: key enforcement divisions gutted, Biden-era pistol brace and forced-reset trigger bans on life support, and a leadership vacuum that's left gun-grabbers scrambling. It's not just bureaucratic reshuffling; it's a deliberate dismantling of the rogue regulatory machine that turned the ATF into the left's favorite tool for bypassing Congress on Second Amendment restrictions. But let's cut through the panic: this withering is music to 2A ears. Under Biden, the ATF bloated into a 5,000-plus agent behemoth, churning out unconstitutional rules like the ghost gun framework that slapped serial numbers on homebuilt firearms and the infamous single feature shotgun ban revival attempt. Trump's team, led by ATF Acting Director Army vet Gary Restaino (who's wisely stayed on amid the chaos), has hit pause on these overreaches, redirecting resources from law-abiding gun owners to actual violent crime. The Trace's freakout exposes their playbook: when they can't legislate, they litigate through the bureaucracy. Now, with Trump's nominees like Andrew Giuliani eyeing oversight and a Supreme Court still stinging from Garland v. Cargill (which nuked bump stock bans), the ATF's empire strikes back era is over. Bloomberg's billions bought him headlines, but not relevance. For the 2A community, the implications are a masterclass in vigilance and victory. This isn't atrophy; it's amputation of cancer. Gun owners should cheer the slowdown in NFA wait times (already dropping from Biden's 300+ days), the potential rollback of 80% lower persecutions, and a refocus on cartel straw buyers over hobbyist AR builds. Stay engaged—contact your reps to back Trump's ATF overhaul, support cases like Mock v. Garland challenging brace rules, and keep the pressure on. The Trace's tears are our signal: the tide has turned, and a neutered ATF means a brighter future for American gun rights. Load up, lock in, and let's make it permanent.

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But let’s cut through the panic: this withering is music to 2A ears. Under Biden, the ATF bloated into a 5,000-plus agent behemoth, churning out unconstitutional rules like the ghost gun framework that slapped serial numbers on homebuilt firearms and the infamous single feature shotgun ban revival attempt. Trump’s team, led by ATF Acting Director Army vet Gary Restaino (who’s wisely stayed on amid the chaos), has hit pause on these overreaches, redirecting resources from law-abiding gun owners to actual violent crime. The Trace’s freakout exposes their playbook: when they can’t legislate, they litigate through the bureaucracy. Now, with Trump’s nominees like Andrew Giuliani eyeing oversight and a Supreme Court still stinging from Garland v. Cargill (which nuked bump stock bans), the ATF’s empire strikes back era is over. Bloomberg’s billions bought him headlines, but not relevance.

For the 2A community, the implications are a masterclass in vigilance and victory. This isn’t atrophy; it’s amputation of cancer. Gun owners should cheer the slowdown in NFA wait times (already dropping from Biden’s 300+ days), the potential rollback of 80% lower persecutions, and a refocus on cartel straw buyers over hobbyist AR builds. Stay engaged—contact your reps to back Trump’s ATF overhaul, support cases like Mock v. Garland challenging brace rules, and keep the pressure on. The Trace’s tears are our signal: the tide has turned, and a neutered ATF means a brighter future for American gun rights. Load up, lock in, and let’s make it permanent.

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