Trump Bypasses Congress to Open Up World Markets to U.S. Gun Makers

President Trump is ready to shift rules to allow American gun makers more leeway in selling arms and ammunition to foreign buyers.

This would mean expanded markets for AR-15s and American made 5.56 and .223 ammunition.

According to Reuters, aides to President Trump are finalizing “a plan to shift oversight of international non-military firearms sales from the State Department to the Commerce Department.” And the shift in rules governing sales to foreign buyers can be accomplished without Congressional approval.

Moving oversight from the State Dept. to Commerce places things in the hands of a department more interested in upping trade numbers than restricting firearm sales. This provides broadened opportunities for manufacturers like Bushmaster, Daniel Defense, Battle-Tested Equipment, Smith & Wesson (American Outdoor), Sturm, Ruger, and Co., and other American companies.

An administration official speaking on condition of anonymity said, “There will be more leeway to do arms sales. You could really turn the spigot on if you do it the right way.”

News of the administration’s shift in arms sale policy lifted Sturm Ruger and American Outdoor stock value upwards of 18 percent. The surge is because a shifting oversight of arms sales from the State Department to the Commerce Department “could increase sales by 15-20 percent annually.”

Trump ran on a pro-Second Amendment platform, but progress on some of the most popular pro-gun legislation has been stifled by the establishment. For example, on September 8 Breitbart News reported that Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) said House Speaker Paul Ryan will not let Congress touch national reciprocity for concealed carry. As a result, the national reciprocity legislation–which was put forward on January 3, 2017–is withering on the vine. But the Trump administration is going around establishment roadblocks to open trade opportunities for American gun companies.

AWR Hawkins is the Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and host of Bullets with AWR Hawkins, a Breitbart News podcast. He is also the political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com.