Gun Control in the 2024 Presidential Election
A Guide to the 2024 Presidential Candidates’ Views on Gun Control
A bowling alley in Lewiston, Maine. A municipal building in Virginia Beach, Virginia. A Walmart in El Paso and an elementary school in Uvalde, both Texas.
All four of these tragedies have happened since 2019. In fact, half of the 25 deadliest mass shootings in the U.S. have occurred in the past eight years, according to the Gun Violence Archive.
The Presidential Election will take place in November this year, claiming a winner in the ‘Biden vs. Trump’ debate. Many issues are on the ballot this year, with one of the hottest-topics being gun-control.
Here is a guide to the two candidates’ past, present and future views on the issue:
Trump Era Gun Control (2016-2019)
During Trump’s presidential term, there were nearly 1,500 mass shootings, according to the Gun Violence Archive.
Trump issued an unpublicized memorandum to the FBI in 2017 that narrowed the bureau's definition of what constitutes a fugitive from justice (FFJ). Under the Gun Control Act of 1968, FFJ is someone who fled their state to avoid being charged with a crime. Under this act, FFJs are prohibited from possessing a firearm. In Trump’s memorandum, his administration added a difficult requirement to prove intent or knowledge of wrongdoing (known as mens rea) to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), which is used for gun purchases. This makes it harder to prove guilt, especially since the NICS has limited data."
In addition, he recommended to NICS “immediately remove” all FFJ records, making it easier for fugitives from the law to obtain firearms.
Biden Era Gun Control (2020-present)
From 2020-2023 there have been 2,601 mass shootings, according to the Gun Violence Archive.
In September of 2023, Biden created the first White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, overseen by Vice President Kamala Harris. The office has no official policies yet, but the statement the White House issued says it “builds on historic actions taken by President Biden to end gun violence in our country.”
His passing of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act in 2022 is a historic piece of legislation that increased background checks for gun-buyers under 21.
Throughout his presidency, he has supported the increase of gun safety laws, including universal background checks for gun purchases and red-flag laws which allow state courts to temporarily confiscate a person's gun if they are deemed a threat to themselves and/or others.
Future of Gun Control Under Trump
In 2023 at the National Rifle Association’s annual meeting, Trump told his constituents, "I was proud to be the most pro-gun, pro-Second Amendment president you've ever had in the White House.”
The former president indicated he will not sign in any new restrictive gun laws if reelected.
Future of Gun Control Under Biden
In a White House statement issued on April 11, 2024, The Biden Administration announced a new rule that will “save lives by reducing the number of firearms sold without background checks.” This rule will strengthen background checks and crack down on illegal sales of firearms.
President Biden said in the statement:
“I’ve spent hours with families who’ve lost loved ones to gun violence. They all have the same message: ‘Do something.’ Today, my Administration is taking action to make sure fewer guns are sold without background checks. This is going to keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers and felons. And my Administration is going to continue to do everything we possibly can to save lives. Congress needs to finish the job and pass universal background checks legislation now.”