Pam Bondi Gun Registry Scare: 2A Blocks Reese v. ATF Overreach

By Freedoms Lodge Staff | October 16, 2025

Pam Bondi, U.S. Attorney General, addresses the press in this 2025 official photo—now at the heart of the Pam Bondi gun registry debate in the Reese v. ATF case. (Public domain via Wikimedia Commons)

The Pam Bondi gun registry controversy erupted last week, sending shockwaves through the Second Amendment community as a federal court order threatened to expose private membership lists from gun rights groups. In the landmark Reese v. ATF lawsuit, advocates mobilized swiftly against this potential overreach, forcing a rapid reversal and underscoring the power of vigilant collective action to protect our freedoms.

Unpacking the Pam Bondi Gun Registry Order

The Reese v. ATF case, filed in 2020, challenged the federal ban on handgun sales to law-abiding adults aged 18-20—a restriction the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously struck down earlier this year as unconstitutional under the Supreme Court’s Bruen framework. Victory seemed assured until U.S. District Judge Robert Summerhays issued a final judgment on October 7, 2025, narrowing the injunction’s scope to protect only named plaintiffs and verified members of plaintiff organizations (FPC, SAF, and Louisiana Shooting Association) from 2020.

To enforce this, the judge ordered the groups to submit detailed membership lists by October 28—names, addresses, and all—for residents in Fifth Circuit states (Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi). While the Department of Justice (DOJ) under Attorney General Pam Bondi had pushed for the limited injunction to comply with recent Supreme Court limits on nationwide relief, the lists themselves weren’t their direct ask. But to 2A warriors, the Pam Bondi gun registry push smelled like a de facto violation, infringing on First Amendment rights to anonymous association and setting a dangerous precedent for US gun ownership laws.

The 2A Response: Outrage Ignites Against the Bondi Registry Threat

The reaction to the Pam Bondi gun registry order was electric and immediate. Within hours, FPC blasted it as a “betrayal” that would deny rights to millions of young adults nationwide, vowing to appeal and flat-out refusing to comply. SAF called it “frustrating and absurd,” noting the irony of requiring 2020 memberships from folks who were kids at the time. GOA went nuclear, accusing Bondi of building the very registry Trump supporters had railed against under Democrats.

• Petition Power: The National Association for Gun Rights (NAGR) launched a viral petition demanding Bondi’s ouster, racking up thousands of signatures overnight and tying it to her past support for red-flag laws and second amendment updates.
• Social Media Storm: X (formerly Twitter) lit up with posts decrying a “MAGA surveillance state,” amplifying the call to arms and pressuring the DOJ on gun registry 2025 fears.
• Legal Pushback: SAF filed a motion to amend the judgment on October 10, swapping “shall provide” lists for “may provide”—a subtle but crucial shift to voluntary disclosure.

This wasn’t knee-jerk activism; it was calculated vigilance. As one GOA spokesperson put it, “We’ve fought too hard for our rights to let procedural tricks erode them.” The community’s swift outcry turned a quiet court filing into a national headline, forcing all parties to the table.

Victory in a Week: Shutting Down the Pam Bondi Gun Registry Demand

By October 14—just seven days after the initial order—the pressure paid off. The DOJ, joining SAF’s motion, clarified it never sought compelled disclosures and opposed registries as policy. Judge Summerhays vacated the list requirement entirely, restoring a broader injunction without the invasive handover. No names were shared, and the core win against the under-21 handgun ban stands stronger.

This rapid reversal underscores the Trump DOJ’s first affirmative pro-2A lawsuit just weeks earlier—suing Los Angeles County for delaying concealed carry permits—but also highlights ongoing frictions in the Pam Bondi gun registry saga. While Bondi has pledged to protect gun owners, incidents like this remind us that eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.

Lessons for the Fight Ahead in Gun Rights Controversies

The Reese v. ATF saga proves the 2A community’s muscle: When overreach like the Pam Bondi gun registry threat rears its head, unified action can crush it before it takes root. As litigation heats up—like the pending Supreme Court review in McCoy v. ATF—staying engaged means monitoring DOJ filings, supporting groups like FPC and GOA, and amplifying stories like this on second amendment updates.

At Freedoms Lodge, we’re committed to keeping you informed on the battles that matter. Sign up for our newsletter to stay ahead of the curve, and share this article to spread the word: Our rights aren’t given—they’re guarded.

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