U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Ferris Pirro, a Donald Trump appointee, drew backlash after suggesting that even otherwise law-abiding gun owners could face arrest for bringing firearms into the nation’s capital—comments that landed as violent crime in D.C. has declined.
Why It Matters
Pirro’s remarks underscore a growing split over how aggressively to enforce—and potentially expand—gun restrictions in Washington, D.C. Local rules require firearm registration and restrict certain semiautomatic rifles, while the Trump administration has also challenged D.C.’s gun regulations in court.
Her comments also arrive in the aftermath of the fatal shooting of 37-year-olds Alex Pretti and Renee Good by immigration agents last month. Videos show Pretti had a gun he was legally allowed to carry, and an officer removed it from the scene, according to the Associated Press (AP).
What To Know
“You bring a gun into this district, count on going to jail, and hope you get the gun back,” Pirro said on Fox News Monday, adding, “I don’t care if you have a license in another district and I don’t care if you’re a law-abiding gun owner somewhere else.”
D.C. law requires gun owners to register their firearms with local police and bars residents from registering certain semiautomatic rifles—effectively blocking civilian ownership of those models in the district, Axios reports.
In August 2025, Pirro directed federal prosecutors not to seek felony charges for people carrying registered rifles or shotguns in D.C., with exceptions for permit-holders and cases involving violent crimes, citing guidance tied to Supreme Court rulings on the Second Amendment, per the AP.
In December 2025, the Department of Justice sued D.C., arguing the district’s prohibition on registering AR-15 and other semiautomatic rifles violates the Second Amendment, escalating a long-running dispute between federal officials and the district over gun policy, the AP adds.
Trump also activated hundreds of National Guard members last year in D.C. in an effort to combat crime and “beautify” the nation’s capital.
After Pretti’s killing, FBI Director Kash Patel suggested Pretti should not have been carrying a firearm—a stance that drew resistance from prominent gun-rights groups and some GOP lawmakers.
“You cannot bring a firearm, loaded, with multiple magazines to any sort of protest that you want. It’s that simple. You don’t have that right to break the law and incite violence,” Patel said during an interview on Fox News last month.
What People Are Saying
Florida Republican Congressman Greg Steube, on X Monday: “I bring a gun into the district every week, @USAttyPirro. 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!”
Former Republican Congressman Adam Kinzinger, also on X Monday: “Dang they turned against the 2A faster than I’ve seen before”
X account Patriot Takes, on Monday: “Jeanine Pirro is going to arrest Lauren Boebert?”
Rapid Response 47, on X Monday: “.@USAttyPirro: ‘We are solving more homicide cases than we ever have in [D.C.] and the Mayor now is seeing what this combined resource allocation is doing… it’s all about focus, partnership, and being serious.’”
Trump, on Truth Social last month in part after Pretti’s killing: “This is the gunman’s gun, loaded (with two additional full magazines!), and ready to go – What is that all about? Where are the local Police? Why weren’t they allowed to protect ICE Officers? The Mayor and the Governor called them off? It is stated that many of these Police were not allowed to do their job, that ICE had to protect themselves — Not an easy thing to do!”
What Happens Next
Republican leaders, advocacy groups, and administration officials are expected to keep clashing over where gun-rights rhetoric ends and stricter enforcement begins—especially as the Pretti case continues to shape the political fight over firearms, public safety, and federal authority in Washington, D.C.
