Trump Tells Pennsylvania Crowd National Right-to-Carry Is Being Worked On
President Donald Trump signaled Tuesday that his administration is actively exploring national right-to-carry legislation, drawing loud applause from supporters during a speech in Pennsylvania and reigniting hopes among gun rights advocates for one of the most significant Second Amendment expansions in decades.
Speaking at a Mack Trucks event in Macungie, Pennsylvania, Trump reflected on his record defending gun rights and thanked the National Rifle Association for its longtime support.
“They always give me their endorsement because I saved the Second Amendment,” Trump told the crowd. “And you think it’s easy? It was not easy.”
Trump singled out NRA President Bill Bachenberg before referencing a previous discussion about nationwide carry protections. After asking the audience whether they supported national right-to-carry legislation and receiving an enthusiastic response, Trump delivered a brief but notable update.
“National right to carry. Yeah, we’re working on it,” Trump said.
The president did not provide details on whether the effort would involve backing legislation already introduced in Congress or pursuing a separate policy initiative through his administration. However, the remark immediately caught the attention of Second Amendment advocates who have long pushed for federal protections allowing law-abiding gun owners to carry firearms across state lines without navigating a patchwork of restrictive local laws.
Several proposals are already pending on Capitol Hill. Sen. Mike Lee has introduced the National Constitutional Carry Act, which would eliminate concealed-carry permit requirements for eligible Americans nationwide. Meanwhile, Rep. Richard Hudson has championed concealed carry reciprocity legislation that would require states to recognize permits issued by other states.
“The Founders established a national right to keep and bear arms, not to ask for permission from hostile local officials or risk imprisonment for crossing the wrong state line,” Lee said when introducing his legislation earlier this year.
Trump’s comments come just days after the Supreme Court struck down a federal prohibition on firearm ownership by marijuana users, a decision many gun rights advocates viewed as another major victory for the Second Amendment.
With Republicans controlling Washington and gun rights groups pressing for action, Trump’s latest remarks suggest national carry protections could become a major legislative priority in the months ahead.