Trump Signals White House Support For National Right-To-Carry Legislation
President Donald Trump said at a Mack Trucks event in Macungie, Pennsylvania on June 23, 2026 that his administration is "working on" national right-to-carry legislation.[1] He made the comment after asking attendees whether they supported national right-to-carry and after recognizing National Rifle Association President Bill Bachenberg.[1]
Sen. Mike Lee introduced the National Constitutional Carry Act on March 5, 2026 to establish nationwide permitless concealed carry and to pre-empt most state and local licensing rules. A companion bill in the House was introduced by Rep. Thomas Massie, and the measure drew endorsements from the National Rifle Association and Gun Owners of America.
Twenty-nine states already allow some form of permitless concealed carry, covering about 46.8% of the U.S. population as of late 2025. S. 4013 was referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee after its March introduction and had seen no further action as of June 2026.
Trump's public signal shifts the discussion from congressional proposals to potential White House backing, raising the prospect of a coordinated push for national pre-emption of state permitting. Supporters celebrated the move on social media while critics warned it could roll back state-level gun-safety rules.
The mainstream summary does not mention that approximately 20.88 million Americans held concealed carry permits as of late 2025, a decrease from a peak of 22 million in 2022, which highlights a significant trend towards permitless carry laws. This decline in permit holders is partly attributed to the expansion of permitless carry across various states, a point that underscores the shifting landscape of gun rights in the U.S. as states increasingly adopt such measures. Furthermore, while the summary notes Trump's comments as a shift in focus towards White House support, it overlooks the implications of the Supreme Court's 2022 ruling in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen, which has significantly influenced the push for national standardization of concealed carry rights by affirming the Second Amendment's protection of public carry rights. This legal backdrop is crucial for understanding the current momentum behind the National Constitutional Carry Act, which aims to unify the regulatory framework for concealed carry across states, a nuance that the mainstream coverage does not fully explore.
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📊 Relevant Data
29 states currently authorize some form of permitless concealed carry, covering 46.8% of the U.S. population (approximately 157.6 million people).
Concealed Carry Permit Holders Across the United States: 2025 — Crime Prevention Research Center
Approximately 20.88 million Americans held concealed carry permits as of late 2025, down from a peak of 22 million in 2022 due in part to expansions of permitless carry.
Concealed Carry Permit Holders Across the United States: 2025 — Crime Prevention Research Center
The National Constitutional Carry Act (S. 4013) was introduced on March 5, 2026, and referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee, with no further action reported as of June 2026.
S.4013 - National Constitutional Carry Act — Congress.gov
📌 Key Facts
- On June 23, 2026, Trump said at a Mack Trucks event in Macungie, Pennsylvania, that his administration is "working on" national right-to-carry legislation.
- Trump made the comment after asking attendees whether they supported national right-to-carry and recognizing NRA President Bill Bachenberg.
- Sen. Mike Lee introduced the National Constitutional Carry Act more than three months earlier to establish nationwide permitless concealed carry for eligible Americans.
- Currently 29 states allow some form of constitutional carry, and Lee's bill would pre-empt state and local concealed-carry permitting for lawful carriers.
📰 Source Timeline (1)
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