15 States Sue Trump Administration Over Gun Trigger Redistribution

A coalition of 15 to 16 Democratic-led states, including Maryland, New Jersey, and Delaware, has filed a lawsuit against President Donald Trump’s administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) to block the planned redistribution of forced reset triggers (FRTs), which are classified as illegal machine gun conversion devices. The states argue that returning these triggers, which enable semi-automatic rifles to fire rapidly like machine guns, violates federal law and poses serious public safety risks by increasing the likelihood of gun violence and mass shootings. The legal challenge follows a May 16 settlement between the Trump administration and Rare Breed Triggers, the manufacturer of these devices, which ended prior litigation and authorized the return of seized triggers. State attorneys general emphasize that these devices are illegal under both federal and state laws and that their redistribution will exacerbate gun violence in their communities. The lawsuit seeks a preliminary injunction to prevent the enforcement of the settlement and the distribution of these triggers, underscoring the ongoing conflict between state efforts to regulate firearms and federal actions under the Trump administration. The case is seen as a critical test of federal authority over state gun control policies and public safety concerns.