(José Niño, Headline USA) In a sweeping victory for Second Amendment advocates on Monday, the the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has officially repealed the Biden-era Federal Firearms Administrative Action Policy, widely known as the “zero tolerance” policy.
Originally implemented to penalize gun dealers for even minor paperwork mistakes, the policy created widespread fear and instability across the firearms industry. Its repeal, spearheaded by the Trump administration, signals a sharp turn back toward gun rights and constitutional accountability.
Under the leadership of Attorney General Pam Bondi and Acting ATF and FBI Director Kash Patel, the agencies also announced plans to formally review two other controversial rules: the stabilizing brace rule and the “engaged in the business” rule, which opponents argue were unconstitutional attempts to restrict lawful gun ownership and create de facto universal background checks.
The stabilizing brace rule attempted to categorize braced pistols as short-barreled rifles—subjecting them to the harsh restrictions of the National Firearms Act. Meanwhile, the “engaged in the business” rule blurred the lines between private firearms sales and commercial transactions, effectively criminalizing casual gun transfers.
Gun Owners of America (GOA), a key opponent of the zero tolerance policy, has long criticized the ATF’s regulatory overreach under the Biden administration. GOA argues the policy had nothing to do with public safety and everything to do with centralized control—particularly targeting law-abiding dealers and small businesses.
In response to the Biden administration’s encroachments on gun rights: GOA and the Gun Owners Foundation filed two federal lawsuits: Kiloton Tactical v. ATF and Morehouse Enterprises, LLC v. ATF (II).
Erich Pratt, GOA’s Senior Vice President, praised the Trump administration’s decision:
For years, the Zero Tolerance Policy has been a tool of political retribution—targeting gun stores and Americans who were simply trying to exercise their rights. We applaud President Trump, Attorney General Bondi, and Director Kash Patel for listening to gun owners and taking action to repeal this abusive policy. This is what pro-gun leadership looks like.
Aidan Johnston, GOA’s Director of Federal Affairs, issued the following statement in support of the Trump administration’s decision to roll back this Biden-era gun control policy:
Under President Trump’s leadership, we’re seeing a realignment toward the Constitution. This repeal and regulatory review of ATF’s “Zero Tolerance” Policy sends a clear message that the era of Biden gun control is over. GOA is grateful for the administration’s commitment to restoring Second Amendment rights and standing with law-abiding gun owners nationwide.
Elected officials such as Rep. Michael Cloud, R-Texas, praised FBI Director Kash Patel for reversing the ATF policies Joe Biden presided over.
This is the right move.
Grateful to @FBIDirectorKash for shutting down these backdoor efforts to build a federal firearms registry — a direct threat to Americans’ privacy and constitutional 2A rights. https://t.co/XgfrZDdhQb
— Congressman Michael Cloud (@RepCloudTX) April 7, 2025
José Niño is the deputy editor of Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/JoseAlNino
