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Trump Ordered DOJ Not to Appeal Suppressor Registration Ruling
Developing
In Short: President Trump instructed the DOJ not to appeal a ruling against suppressor registration.
President Donald Trump ordered the Department of Justice (DOJ) not to appeal a ruling against suppressor registration. The ruling, secured in August via the Silencer Shop v. ATF lawsuit, declared registration requirements for suppressors and short barrel rifles and shotguns unconstitutional in the absence of a federal tax.
In August, Judge James Wesley Hendrix of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas issued the ruling, which found the registration requirements unconstitutional. The case was filed in October 2025, following the passage of President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill, which removed the $200 federal tax on suppressors and short barrel rifles and shotguns while retaining National Firearms Act registration requirements.
Since the ruling, Federal Firearms License holders (FFLs) and other stakeholders have been closely monitoring the ATF for guidance on implementing the decision. The verdict applies to both current and future members of these groups.
The decision has been closely watched by FFLs, members of Congress, and others who have been waiting to see if the DOJ would appeal the ruling. The lack of an appeal means that the ruling stands and suppressors and short barrel firearms no longer require registration.
The ruling could have significant implications for firearm regulations and the interpretation of the National Firearms Act. FFLs and other stakeholders will now need to adjust their practices in line with the new legal framework.
What's still developing
- Nothing material beyond the confirmed record.
Sources
- Breitbartlink