White House deputy press secretary Hogan Gidley said Tuesday that the Trump administration supports the longstanding law that bars people from making their own gun.
“In the United States, it is currently illegal to own or make a wholly, plastic gun of any kind — including those made on a 3D printer,” Gidley told reporters on Air Force One. “The administration supports this nearly two-decade old law.”
Shortly after the comments from the White House, a federal judge issued a temporary order that put a stop to the release of the downloadable blueprints set to be published online by midnight, according to the Associated Press.
[Opinion: 3D-printed guns were always going to be legal]
BREAKING: Federal judge issues temporary restraining order stopping release of downloadable blueprints for 3D-printed guns
— The Associated Press (@AP) July 31, 2018
Gun rights activists and reporters have claimed in the past few days that it has never been illegal to print gun designs using a 3D printer.
“It has never been illegal to print non-NFA designs on a 3D printer (not just a regular printer at home). People act like gunsmithing is a new thing,” National Rifle Association spokeswoman Dana Loesch said.
Gidley also said that the administration is looking into all options to address the controversies surrounding 3D printed guns, which could include concerns that these type of guns are untraceable and more likely to go undetected by metal detectors.
“We will continue to look at all options available to us to do what is necessary to protect Americans while also supporting the First and Second amendments,” Gidley said.
