DOJ Targets Gun Laws

Trump DOJ challenges California and Virginia gun restrictions in court.

DOJ Sues Two States Over Gun Laws

DOJ Sues Gavin Newsom’s California Over Glock Ban

Trump administration sues California over 'Glock ban' law targeting machine gun pistols

Summary

Center & Right

A neutral summary of the key facts most outlets agree on, drawn from reporting across the political spectrum.

The Trump administration’s Justice Department filed twin lawsuits against California and Virginia, arguing that newly enacted firearm restrictions violate the Second Amendment. The California case challenges a ban on Glock-style pistols and related handgun roster limits, while the Virginia case targets a Democratic-backed ban on the sale or transfer of certain semiautomatic rifles. DOJ officials, including Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon and Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, framed the cases as part of a broader push to stop states from treating the Second Amendment as a “second-class right.” The department is seeking injunctions to block enforcement of the laws, which took effect or were set to take effect July 1, 2026.

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Virginia Rifle Ban

The Justice Department sued Virginia after Gov. Abigail Spanberger signed a law restricting AR-15s and other common semiautomatic rifles, with DOJ calling the measure an unconstitutional weapons ban. The complaint argues that tens of millions of Americans lawfully own the affected rifles and seeks to stop enforcement of the new misdemeanor penalties.

California Glock Ban

The Justice Department sued California over AB1127, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s ban on Glock-style pistols and similar firearms, on the day the restriction was slated to take effect. California officials had signaled they would not retreat from the law despite DOJ warnings, setting up a direct federal-state fight over handgun regulations.