US Justice Department repeals Biden-era "zero tolerance" policy for gun dealers

On April 7, the U.S. Justice Department repealed a Biden-era "zero tolerance" policy that mandated revoking the licenses of gun dealers who willfully committed serious violations, such as failing to conduct background checks, an FBI spokesperson confirmed.

The reversal, which was first celebrated by the far-right advocacy group Gun Owners of America (GOA) before any formal government announcement, comes amid a sweeping regulatory rollback ordered by President Donald Trump, Caliber.Az reports, citing Western media.

As part of the directive, the Department of Justice and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) were tasked with reviewing all firearm-related regulations introduced under former President Joe Biden.

Kash Patel, who currently holds dual roles as FBI Director and Acting ATF Director, addressed members of GOA at a meeting in August. During his remarks, he falsely claimed that Biden’s ATF leadership had aimed to strip Americans of their Second Amendment rights.

GOA, known for its extreme stance on gun rights, has long called for the dissolution of the ATF and the deletion of national gun sales records used by law enforcement to trace weapons involved in crimes.

The now-repealed zero tolerance policy had instructed the ATF to revoke licenses of gun dealers who knowingly sold firearms to prohibited buyers, failed to perform background checks, falsified records, or ignored requests from law enforcement to trace crime guns. The policy, introduced under Biden, was hailed by gun-control advocates as a critical measure to curb illegal gun trafficking and "straw purchases"—where someone buys a firearm on behalf of another person who cannot legally own one.

Gun industry groups, however, argued that the policy led to punitive actions for relatively minor infractions, resulting in the closure of small gun stores over clerical errors found during inspections.

For the record, under the Biden administration, the ATF had ramped up enforcement efforts aimed at ensuring compliance among federally licensed firearms dealers, citing the need to address rising gun violence in the United States.

By Khagan Isayev