WASHINGTON — U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro moved to clarify and partially retract sweeping remarks about gun possession in the nation’s capital after fierce backlash from Second Amendment advocates, conservative lawmakers, and gun-rights organizations.
During a Fox News appearance earlier this week, Pirro stated unequivocally that anyone bringing a firearm into Washington, D.C. — regardless of licensure in another jurisdiction — should expect to be arrested.
“A gun into the District, you mark my words, you’re going to jail,” Pirro said. “I don’t care if you have a license in another district and I don’t care if you’re a law-abiding gun owner somewhere else.”
The remarks triggered immediate outrage from gun-rights groups, who argued that Pirro’s statement misrepresented District law and suggested criminal enforcement against lawful firearm owners exercising constitutionally protected rights.
Within 24 hours, Pirro appeared to retreat from the absolutist tone of her comments. In a post on X, she said she was “a proud supporter of the Second Amendment” and clarified that D.C. law requires firearms to be licensed with the Metropolitan Police Department in order to be carried legally within the city.
“We are focused on individuals who are unlawfully carrying guns,” Pirro wrote, adding that her office would continue targeting illegal firearms to “keep our communities safe.”
Gun-Rights Groups Reject Clarification
Second Amendment organizations were unconvinced by Pirro’s clarification, calling her original comments revealing and dangerous.
The National Association of Gun Rights labeled Pirro’s remarks “unacceptable and intolerable,” accusing her of treating constitutional rights as optional.
“Jeanine Pirro threatening to arrest people shows how broken and out of touch these gun laws are,” the group said in a statement. “Bureaucrats act like the Second Amendment does not exist and brag about jailing people for exercising their rights.”
Gun Owners of America echoed the criticism, noting that concealed carry permit holders are statistically among the most law-abiding segments of the population.
“We are not the problem,” the organization said.
Republican lawmakers also weighed in. Rep. Greg Steube of Florida publicly challenged Pirro’s remarks, stating that he carries a firearm into Washington legally every week under valid permits.
“I have a license in Florida and D.C. to carry,” Steube wrote. “And I will continue to carry to protect myself and others.”
Political Context: Pretti Shooting Fallout
Pirro’s comments come amid broader controversy surrounding the Trump administration’s response to the fatal shooting of ICU nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis.
Pretti was killed on Jan. 24 while protesting ICE enforcement actions. He was lawfully carrying a firearm at the time, which he reportedly never brandished, according to witness testimony. His death was later ruled a homicide by the Hennepin County Medical Examiner.
President Donald Trump publicly criticized Pretti for being armed, stating, “I don’t like that he had a gun.” Other senior administration officials made similar remarks suggesting that carrying a firearm at a protest increases culpability or “assumption of risk.”
Second Amendment advocates argue these statements undermine long-standing Republican messaging on gun rights and due process.
GOP Warned of Midterm Consequences
According to POLITICO, gun-rights leaders are warning Republican strategists that continued rhetoric casting lawful gun ownership as suspect could depress turnout among core conservative voters in the 2026 midterms.
“All it takes is losing four to six percent of the base,” said Dudley Brown, president of the National Association of Gun Rights. “Especially in marginal districts, that’s enough to lose control of the House.”
One anonymous advocate told the outlet that frustration within the gun-rights community is escalating, warning that delayed corrections would be politically ineffective.
“He can’t correct it three months before the election,” the advocate said. “They won’t come out and vote.”
Legislative Push on Carry Reciprocity
The controversy has renewed attention on pending legislation aimed at standardizing gun-carry laws nationwide.
Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky has introduced the National Constitutional Carry Act, which would prohibit federal, state, and local penalties for eligible individuals carrying firearms without permits across state lines.
A separate bill sponsored by Rep. Richard Hudson would require states to recognize concealed carry permits issued by other states, allowing firearms to be carried loaded for self-defense. The measure already has more than 120 Republican co-sponsors and one Democratic supporter.
Trump has said he would sign such legislation if it reaches his desk.
A Broader Signal
While Pirro’s walk-back stopped short of an apology, the episode has intensified scrutiny of how aggressively the administration and its appointees are willing to test the boundaries of gun law enforcement — and whether rhetoric alone can fracture a coalition that Republicans have long relied on for electoral success.
For Second Amendment advocates, the concern is no longer just policy, but intent.
And for the GOP, the warning is blunt: alienate lawful gun owners, and the political consequences may arrive sooner than expected.
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