“I am a Very Innocent Man” Trump Faces Firearms Ban After Felony Convictions
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Former President Donald Trump was convicted on Thursday, May 30, by a Manhattan jury on 34 counts of falsifying business records. While the repercussions of these convictions on his presidential campaign are still unfolding, one immediate legal consequence is that Trump has lost the right to purchase or possess firearms, as reported by HuffPost.
This development stems from the Gun Control Act of 1968, which bars individuals convicted of crimes punishable by imprisonment for over a year from owning or buying guns or ammunition. Trump, who has been a staunch advocate for gun rights and promised to roll back firearm restrictions imposed by the Biden administration, now finds himself classified as a “prohibited person” under federal law due to his felony status.
Despite this, he is allowed to retain any firearms he possessed prior to his conviction, provided they are not transported across state lines. As Trump navigates these new restrictions, several legal pathways remain open to him. The Shouse California Law Group notes that, for those convicted of felonies who remain law-abiding, it may eventually be possible to restore gun rights.
According to Newsweek, Trump could pursue several options to regain these rights, including having the conviction expunged, reduced to a misdemeanor, receiving a pardon, or directly petitioning for the restoration of his rights. Fordham Law professor Cheryl Bader explained to ABC News, “He could seek to have that right restored since his conviction was for a lower level non-violent felony.”
Furthermore, in New York, where the convictions were delivered, a felony conviction automatically invalidates a concealed carry license, necessitating the surrender of any firearms to the authorities. It’s notable that presidential pardons do not affect convictions in state courts, so Trump’s options are limited in this regard.
Trump has previously spoken about his gun ownership, revealing in a 2012 interview and to the French magazine Valeurs Actuelles that he carried a .45-caliber H&K and a .38-caliber Smith & Wesson, stating, “I always carry a weapon on me.” Despite the legal setbacks and the looming threat of a prison sentence that could extend up to four years, Trump remains defiant and competitive.
Speaking outside the courtroom, he denounced the trial as ‘rigged’, ‘disgraceful’, and ‘un-American.’ “We’ll keep fighting. We’ll fight to the end, and we’ll win…The real verdict is going to be on November 5, by the people. They know what happened here. I am a very innocent man,” he asserted, signaling that the case might energize his base ahead of the upcoming elections.
