Trump Team Wipes Biden’s Gun Policy From Internet

Man in suit speaking at podium with flag background

President Trump’s administration erased a Biden-era gun violence advisory from government websites, marking a significant shift in federal firearms policy under the new leadership.

Key Insights

A Surgeon General advisory labeling gun violence as a “public health crisis” was removed from federal websites between March 5-15, 2025
The removal follows President Trump’s executive order to review federal actions for potential Second Amendment infringements
The advisory had recommended controversial measures including banning automatic rifles and universal background checks
The White House stated that “illegal violence of any sort is a crime issue” rather than a public health concern
Gun rights advocates celebrated the move while public health researchers criticized the removal

Second Amendment Protection Drives Policy Shift

The Trump administration has systematically removed a Biden-era advisory on gun violence from federal websites, implementing a campaign promise to protect Second Amendment rights. The advisory, which characterized firearm violence as a public health crisis, disappeared from the Department of Health and Human Services website in early March as part of a broader review of federal firearms regulations. This removal aligns with President Trump’s executive order directing all federal agencies to identify and address potential infringements on constitutional gun rights.

The scrubbed advisory had been created by former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy during the Biden administration. It contained extensive data on firearms as the leading cause of death for children and adolescents and recommended controversial policy measures including bans on automatic rifles, universal background checks, and penalties for unsafe firearm storage. Trump’s administration has characterized these recommendations as overreaching federal intrusions on constitutional rights and state authorities.

White House Reframes Gun Violence as Law Enforcement Issue

The Trump administration has shifted the federal government’s approach to gun violence away from public health interventions toward law enforcement solutions. This policy realignment reflects the president’s campaign platform of strengthening public safety through traditional crime-fighting approaches rather than gun restrictions. White House spokesperson Kush Desai articulated the administration’s position in an official statement following questions about the advisory’s removal.

“Illegal violence of any sort is a crime issue, and as he again made clear during his recent speech at the Department of Justice, President Trump is committed to Making America Safe Again by empowering law enforcement to uphold law and order,” said White House spokesperson Kush Desai.

The administration’s action represents a stark departure from the Biden era’s approach, which had established the Office of Gun Violence Prevention under Vice President Kamala Harris and secured passage of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act in 2022. The former administration had positioned gun violence primarily as a public health crisis requiring federal intervention, data collection, and restrictions on certain firearms and accessories.

Reactions Highlight Deep Divisions on Gun Policy

The advisory’s removal has generated predictable reactions across the political spectrum. Second Amendment advocates and gun rights organizations have applauded the decision, having previously condemned the advisory as part of what they characterized as an anti-gun agenda. The National Rifle Association had earlier criticized Murthy’s advisory when it was first published, calling it an extension of the “war on law-abiding gun owners” while emphasizing America’s crime problem was caused by criminals, not legal gun ownership.

“This is an extension of the Biden Administration’s war on law-abiding gun owners. America has a crime problem caused by criminals,” said the National Rifle Association (NRA).

Public health researchers and gun violence prevention advocates have expressed concern that removing the advisory threatens progress in addressing firearms deaths from a prevention standpoint. Daniel Semenza, a firearm violence researcher, argued that framing gun violence as a public health issue offers an opportunity to depoliticize the topic. Critics of the advisory’s removal note that nearly 47,000 firearm-related deaths occurred in 2023, with most being suicides – statistics that were prominently featured in the now-removed advisory.

Broader Pattern of Policy Reversals

The removal of the gun violence advisory reflects a broader pattern of policy reversals as the Trump administration works to implement its agenda. While some Biden-era web resources removed from federal sites have been restored through court orders, the fate of the “firearm violence in America” page remains uncertain. President Trump has consistently positioned himself as a defender of gun rights, contrasting with Biden’s advocacy for increased firearm regulations, including a proposed assault weapons ban and repeal of liability protections for gun manufacturers.

“When people read gun violence is a public health problem, they read guns are a public health problem. This idea actually removes the politics from the issue and is an engine to get us on the same page. [The removal] feels like an unnecessary and mean-spirited way to politicize something that people have actively been trying to bring people together on,” said Daniel Semenza.

As the debate continues, surveys show significant public support for certain gun safety measures, with 87% of Americans favoring universal background checks according to a Fox News survey cited in the removed advisory. However, critics maintain there is little correlation between legal gun ownership and gun violence, suggesting that crime reduction requires different approaches than those advocated by the previous administration.