Trump Aims To Ease Regulations in Move That Would Be ‘Boon’ to Don Jr.’s Company, ‘The Amazon of Guns’

AP Photo/Richard Drew

President Donald Trump’s administration is pursuing a sweeping rollback of federal gun regulations that could “be a boon” to “the Amazon of guns,” a firearms retailer tied to Donald Trump Jr., according to a Thursday exclusive from The Washington Post.

The outlet reported that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has proposed dozens of regulatory changes that, if adopted, would allow firearms purchases to be completed entirely online, including identity verification and background checks. A separate proposal would also relax longstanding restrictions on mailing handguns directly to buyers, potentially allowing licensed dealers to ship firearms straight to customers in certain states.

Executives at Texas-based GrabAGun, an online firearms retailer that has branded itself as aiming to become “the Amazon of guns,” have openly celebrated the potential impact of the proposed changes. The Washington Post’s Perry Stein reported that during a May earnings call, chief executive Marc Nemati told investors the administration’s proposals “could be the most significant change to firearms retail distribution in decades,” noting their company is “uniquely positioned for this opportunity.”

As noted by the Post, Trump Jr. serves on GrabAGun’s board, acts as a consultant, and owns roughly a 1.1% stake in the company. According to securities filings cited by the newspaper, he received 300,000 shares as part of an agreement under which he helps shape the company’s marketing strategy, develop partnerships, and act as a public spokesperson.

A spokesperson for the president’s son rejected any suggestion of impropriety, telling the outlet, “Don is a lifelong businessman and vocal advocate of our Second Amendment rights. He does not interface with the federal government as part of his role with any company that he invests in or advises and had zero involvement in this particular decision.”

The White House likewise told the Post the proposed ATF changes are intended to protect Second Amendment rights and are unrelated to Trump Jr.’s financial interests, while GrabAGun said it supports a more streamlined purchasing process and is participating in the federal rulemaking process by submitting public comments.

Of the Trump administration’s potential allowance of online gun sales, Marianna Mitchem, a former senior official at ATF and a gun-control advocate, told the paper, “This is going to make it so much easier for dangerous people to get firearms.”

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