This Is What Gun Owners Are Up Against

Austin Reville
Feb 13
3 min read

President Donald Trump's 2nd Term In Office has had mixed reviews on 2nd Amendment Rights. However, there have been some big wins as well.

For years, anti-gun activists have relied on a predictable strategy: funnel taxpayer dollars into ideologically driven “research” and “prevention” programs designed not to understand firearms—but to justify more gun control. When political power shifts, so does the money.

During the first year of the Donald Trump administration’s return to office, more than $1 billion in federal grants tied to gun control advocacy, so-called violence prevention, and ideologically slanted research were cut or terminated. Predictably, the gun control movement cried foul—not because public safety collapsed, but because their preferred funding stream was interrupted. Now, anti-gun lawmakers are scrambling to lock those funds back in place.

Congress Moves to Protect Anti-Gun Funding

Last month, congressional appropriators finalized a spending package that preserves $25 million annually for firearm-related research, split evenly between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the same amount Congress has allocated since 2019, when the long-standing federal pause on gun-related research was loosened.

But the real story isn’t the dollar amount. It’s the new guardrails lawmakers added to prevent future administrations from cutting these grants. The bill’s Joint Explanatory Statement directs the Department of Health and Human Services to consult Congress before terminating grants, mandates advance notice before cancellations, and requires monthly briefings on grant status. In plain language: Congress is trying to handcuff future pro-gun administrations from undoing anti-gun funding decisions.

Representative Rosa DeLauro Deomcrat from Connecticut, a longtime gun control advocate, openly acknowledged the intent—ensuring agencies spend money exactly how Congress wants, regardless of election outcomes.

“Research” as a Political Tool

Anti-gun lawmakers insist that this research “saves lives,” but gun owners know the reality. Much of what passes as gun violence research begins with a conclusion—more gun control—and works backward to support it.

Democrat Senator Chris Murphy from Connecticut, one of the loudest voices for gun control in Congress, lamented that Republicans haven’t done more to protect these grants. What he calls “hostility,” gun owners recognize as accountability. When federal dollars dry up, anti-gun groups pivot.

States and Private Donors Step In

States like California, New Jersey, and Washington have created taxpayer-funded firearm research centers—often embedded in universities already hostile to the Second Amendment. These programs work hand-in-glove with advocacy groups to produce studies cited by lawmakers pushing bans, restrictions, and surveillance.

Private foundations tied to gun control activism have also increased funding, though even supporters admit they can’t fully replace federal dollars. Still, these funds ensure the anti-gun narrative machine keeps running—even when voters elect leaders who reject it.

The Pattern Gun Owners Know Too Well

Here’s the part gun owners should never forget, when administrations change, anti-gun funding always comes back—fast. Any pro-Second Amendment grants, such as those issued under Trump to institutions like the University of Wyoming for constitutional or firearms-policy research, can be expected to be reversed the moment political power shifts. At the same time, anti-gun programs are reinstated, expanded, and shielded from oversight. This isn’t about science. It’s about control.

Why This Matters Locally

These federally funded studies don’t stay in Washington. They’re cited in courtrooms, used to justify state legislation, and repeated endlessly by media outlets as “settled science.” For gun owners in Minnesota and across the country, this is the environment we’re operating in—one where taxpayer money is routinely weaponized against a constitutional right.

Standing Strong in Southern Minnesota

2 If By Sea Tactical understands this fight firsthand. As Southern Minnesota’s source for all things Second Amendment, and your Premier Indoor Range and Firearms Store, 2 If By Sea exists not just to sell firearms and training, but to defend the culture and rights that come with them.

This is what gun owners are up against:

• Ideological “research”

• Locked-in funding streams

• Universities hostile to gun ownership

• Activists masquerading as scientists

The answer isn’t apathy—it’s vigilance. Stay informed. Support businesses that stand with the Second Amendment. And remember: when the money flows, the agenda follows.

Here at 2 If By Sea Tactical we strive to bring you the best experience in the firearms world. As we continue to grow the media arm of 2 If By Sea, make sure you keep tuning in to our Youtube and Rumble channels and right here at “The Patriot’s Almanac” to stay informed on the latest happenings in the firearm world! But we are not lawyers, so this isn't legal guidance. We are proud to be Southern Minnesota source for all things 2A.