In a stunning reversal, Donald Trump's administration has now declared that federal agents have the right to shoot and kill any American citizen who approaches them with a gun in hand. This shocking new doctrine was revealed just hours after the deadly shooting of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old Minneapolis resident who was killed by Border Patrol agents during a traffic stop. The Trump Justice Department has formally endorsed this dangerous policy, which is being hailed as an outrage by gun rights advocates and civil liberties groups.
According to First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli, if you approach law enforcement with a gun, "there is a high likelihood they will be legally justified in shooting you." This statement is being seen as a chilling reminder that the president who campaigned on promising to protect gun owners' rights has now effectively signed off on taking away any safety those guns once provided.
The implications of this new policy are far-reaching and disturbing. Gun owners who have always felt safe carrying their firearms are now being told that they can be shot by federal agents if they approach them with a gun. This is an outrageous betrayal of the Second Amendment and a clear attempt to intimidate and silence law-abiding citizens who have been vocal about their opposition to Trump's policies.
The Trump administration's embrace of this doctrine has sparked outrage among pro-gun groups, which are condemning the move as "dangerous and wrong." The National Rifle Association, for example, has called on calm and due process, but its silence is seen by many as a betrayal. Gun Owners of America, another prominent gun rights group, has flatly rejected the idea that federal agents can shoot and kill law-abiding citizens.
The backlash against Trump's administration is also being felt on the ground in Minnesota, where Pretti was killed. The Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus has demanded evidence that Pretti posed any real threat to justify the use of deadly force, and its general counsel has stated that officers "have to have been in reasonable fear of imminent death or great bodily harm" to use lethal force.
The Trump administration's shift on gun rights is also being seen as a broader attempt to exert federal control over state and local governments. By deploying federal agents into jurisdictions with strict gun-control laws, the administration is effectively circumventing those regulations and imposing its own brand of authoritarianism.
In short, the Trump administration has declared war on American gun owners, who have always been an important part of their base. The millions that pro-gun groups funneled into electing him have bought little more than cold comfort. The bottom line is clear: Under Trump, gun rights have increasingly been filtered through federal power, not individual freedom.
The Intercept has long covered authoritarian governments, billionaire oligarchs, and backsliding democracies around the world. We understand the challenge we face in Trump and the vital importance of press freedom in defending democracy. That's why we need your support to continue our critical reporting on issues like gun rights, free speech, and government accountability.
Will you help us expand our reporting capacity in time to hit the ground running in 2026?
According to First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli, if you approach law enforcement with a gun, "there is a high likelihood they will be legally justified in shooting you." This statement is being seen as a chilling reminder that the president who campaigned on promising to protect gun owners' rights has now effectively signed off on taking away any safety those guns once provided.
The implications of this new policy are far-reaching and disturbing. Gun owners who have always felt safe carrying their firearms are now being told that they can be shot by federal agents if they approach them with a gun. This is an outrageous betrayal of the Second Amendment and a clear attempt to intimidate and silence law-abiding citizens who have been vocal about their opposition to Trump's policies.
The Trump administration's embrace of this doctrine has sparked outrage among pro-gun groups, which are condemning the move as "dangerous and wrong." The National Rifle Association, for example, has called on calm and due process, but its silence is seen by many as a betrayal. Gun Owners of America, another prominent gun rights group, has flatly rejected the idea that federal agents can shoot and kill law-abiding citizens.
The backlash against Trump's administration is also being felt on the ground in Minnesota, where Pretti was killed. The Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus has demanded evidence that Pretti posed any real threat to justify the use of deadly force, and its general counsel has stated that officers "have to have been in reasonable fear of imminent death or great bodily harm" to use lethal force.
The Trump administration's shift on gun rights is also being seen as a broader attempt to exert federal control over state and local governments. By deploying federal agents into jurisdictions with strict gun-control laws, the administration is effectively circumventing those regulations and imposing its own brand of authoritarianism.
In short, the Trump administration has declared war on American gun owners, who have always been an important part of their base. The millions that pro-gun groups funneled into electing him have bought little more than cold comfort. The bottom line is clear: Under Trump, gun rights have increasingly been filtered through federal power, not individual freedom.
The Intercept has long covered authoritarian governments, billionaire oligarchs, and backsliding democracies around the world. We understand the challenge we face in Trump and the vital importance of press freedom in defending democracy. That's why we need your support to continue our critical reporting on issues like gun rights, free speech, and government accountability.
Will you help us expand our reporting capacity in time to hit the ground running in 2026?
This is getting out of hand! Can't believe the Trump admin is so brazen about this. I mean, I'm all for Second Amendment rights, but come on! If some cop can just shoot you 'cause you're holding a gun near 'em, that's not freedom, that's tyranny! 
AND THE FACT THAT PRO-GUN GROUPS ARE SILENT ABOUT THIS IS JUST AMAZING. I MEAN, I GET IT, GUNS ARE A BIG DEAL, BUT COME ON FOLKS, WE NEED TO STAND UP FOR OUR RIGHTS HERE!!! 
, we need people in power who actually listen to the American people and don't just do what they want because it suits their agenda. my kid needs a safe community where she can grow up without fear of being shot by federal agents just for carrying a gun.
. I was watching this one video of some dude carrying a rifle while walking down the street and I'm thinking, "what's his deal?" is he trying to make a statement or something? 
it got me thinking about those old western movies where cowboys would just start shooting at each other willy-nilly 
. was that ever really how things went down? 
and what's with the "reasonable fear of imminent death" thing? doesn't that sound like something out of a bad cop show 
.
. what's next? police stopping people for no reason and then killing them too? this is not the America i thought we had 
. news outlets need to keep speaking out against these kinds of policies so we can hold our leaders accountable 
. btw, anyone else getting sick of the Trump admin's latest power grab?