The One Big Beautiful Bill Act is triggering a legal storm against the National Firearms Act’s constitutionality.
At a Glance
- Gun rights groups are suing to dismantle the National Firearms Act (NFA).
- The lawsuit argues the NFA is unconstitutional after tax reduction.
- The $200 tax on certain firearms is now zero, challenging NFA’s legal basis.
- President Trump’s legislation undermines the need for the NFA as a tax law.
Legal Challenge to NFA
Gun Owners of America and associated groups have initiated a lawsuit, the “One Big Beautiful Lawsuit,” seeking to dismantle enduring sections of the National Firearms Act. This follows the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed by President Trump on Independence Day 2025, which eliminated the $200 excise tax imposed on silencers and certain compact firearms. The plaintiffs argue that this removal undermines the NFA’s justification as a tax law, rendering it unconstitutional post the excise tax abolishment.
Gun rights advocates highlight that the NFA, originally upheld as a tax law by the Supreme Court in 1937, lacks current constitutional backing with the tax reduced to zero. The lawsuit has been filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas. Advocates claim the registration and transfer requirements imposed by the NFA violate Second Amendment rights and place unlawful burdens on gun owners, sellers, and manufacturers.
Check out what @Newsweek is saying about the One Big Beautiful Lawsuit ⤵️
“@GunOwners filed a lawsuit to dismantle what is left of the National Firearms Act (NFA) shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump signed his package of tax breaks and spending cuts into law on Friday.… https://t.co/fq1N1CYkU5
— Gun Owners of America (@GunOwners) July 5, 2025
Implications for Federal Gun Control
Gun Owners of America, alongside other advocacy groups, views this lawsuit as an opportunity to challenge and potentially dismantle federal gun control laws. The Firearms Policy Coalition expressed intentions to challenge the NFA in federal courts too, interpreting tax repeal as a significant step toward nullifying the Act. “The Supreme Court has made clear that the NFA survives only as a tax law,” as Sam Paredes emphasized, reinforcing the argument for the lawsuit.
“This commitment drives us to continue the fight to lift the heavy restrictions placed on American gun owners by the National Firearms Act,” – Jamin McCallum
The Department of Justice (DOJ), under Attorney General Pam Bondi, has reoriented enforcement focus from paperwork violations to tackling gun smuggling and violent crime, support from gun rights advocates.
The members of the gun rights groups are suing to dismantle what is left of the National Firearms Act. https://t.co/fCFDg84Z7d
— Newsweek (@Newsweek) July 5, 2025
The Future of NFA and Gun Control
The lawsuit presented against the NFA represents a defining moment in the ongoing debate over federal gun control legislation. By questioning the constitutional validity of the NFA post-tax removal, the plaintiffs aim to highlight gaps in its justification. Moreover, President Trump’s newly signed legislation is seen as a reshaping force for America’s gun policy, strongly suggesting that the era of stringent firearm regulations may face considerable setbacks.
“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to dismantle one of the most abusive federal gun control laws on the books,” – Erich Pratt
The legal challenge will continue to unfold in the courts, spotlighting significant issues around the balance between national security and constitutional freedoms. For the gun rights community, this lawsuit is a pivotal strike against perceived unconstitutional burdens imposed on law-abiding American citizens.
