Republicans Quickly Turn on Trump DOJ Attorney For Threatening Legal Gun Owners in D.C.

After a blunt warning from U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, a Trump appointee, that anyone bringing a firearm into the nation’s capital faces jail time, prominent conservative lawmakers and pro-Second Amendment groups have criticized her comments, claiming they misrepresent the law and contradict core Republican values.

On Monday, Pirro told Fox News that individuals who bring guns into Washington, D.C. should “count on going to jail” even if they hold legally valid permits in other jurisdictions. Pirro stated, “[If] you bring a gun into the District, you mark my words, you’re going to jail. I don’t care if you have a license in another district, and I don’t care if you’re a law-abiding law owner somewhere else. You bring a gun into this District, count on going to jail, and hope you get the gun back!”

Pirro’s comments came amid a heightened national debate over gun rights following the fatal shooting of Minneapolis nurse Alex Pretti by federal agents. Law enforcement and Trump administration officials have questioned why Pretti was armed during the encounter, despite video evidence suggesting he did not unholster his legally carried handgun.

Concealed carry permits are available to non-residents under D.C. law, which removed the “good reason” requirements in 2017 and now operates as a “shall issue” system for handgun permits.

Florida Republican Representative and MAGA ally Greg Steube, who regularly travels to Washington with a firearm, fired back directly at Pirro on the social media platform X: “I bring a gun into the district every week. I have a license in Florida and DC to carry. And I will continue to carry to protect myself and others. Come and Take it!”

Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis also criticized Pirro’s comments, stating, “Second Amendment rights are not extinguished just because an American visits DC. American gun owners who conceal carry are among the most law-abiding citizens in the nation. They are friends of law enforcement; they should not be targeted by law enforcement.”

Georgia Representative Andrew Clyde wrote on X that “Shall NOT be infringed is NOT a suggestion. We need nationwide concealed carry reciprocity NOW. Our Second Amendment freedoms don’t disappear when we cross state lines or enter our nation’s capital city.”

Pirro has made public statements clarifying her comments, posting on social media, “Let me be clear: I am a proud supporter of the Second Amendment. Washington, D.C. law requires handguns to be licensed in the District with the Metropolitan Police Department to be carried into our community. We are focused on individuals who are unlawfully carrying guns and will continue building on that momentum to keep our communities safe.”

The Trump administration seems to be backing Pirro, with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche responding to Pirro’s social media post, writing, “This Administration and Department of Justice will fiercely protect Second Amendment rights.”