A quiet regulatory shift in Washington could soon line the pockets of Donald Trump Jr. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is pushing a proposal to let licensed dealers ship guns straight to buyers’ doorsteps. It is a massive departure from current law. Right now, if you buy a gun online, you must pick it up at a physical store and pass an in-person background check. Under the new rules, a digital ID check, an online background check, and a seven-day waiting period are all it would take to get a firearm delivered like a pair of shoes.
This is a goldmine for GrabAGun. The online retail giant, often dubbed the “Amazon of guns,” went public last year. Trump Jr. is a major shareholder and board member. He holds over 300,000 shares. While the stock has plummeted 85% over the last year—dragging his stake down from $5 million to about $700,000—this policy shift could trigger a massive financial rebound. The ATF itself projects that half of all gun buyers, roughly 3.3 million people annually, would eventually opt for home delivery. Industry insiders think that estimate is conservative. Convenience sells.
GrabAGun’s CEO, Marc Nemati, claims neither he nor Trump Jr. saw this coming. He insists the company is still calculating how this affects their $100 million revenue stream. According to Nemati, Trump Jr. is just a Second Amendment advocate who does not lobby the federal government. Andrew Surabian, a spokesperson for Trump Jr., echoed this, stating the president’s son played no role in the ATF’s decision.
Yet, the timing is convenient. The proposal is one of 34 deregulatory measures introduced by the ATF following a February 2025 executive order from President Trump to expand gun access. ATF Chief Counsel Robert Leider, who oversaw the drafting, claims he had no idea Trump Jr. was connected to GrabAGun until reporters asked. He framed the rule as a simple modernization effort, estimating it would save consumers over $103 million a year in travel and processing costs.
Not everyone is buying the efficiency argument. Traditional gun shop owners and gun-control advocates are furious. They warn that bypassing physical stores removes a crucial safety barrier. Marianna Mitchem, a former ATF industry liaison with two decades of experience, opposes the move. She notes that physical shops have historically been the first line of defense against illegal sales. Now, the government is flipping the script.
Main street gun dealers are also terrified of the economic fallout. Many small, rural shops survive on the transfer fees they charge to process background checks for online orders. If buyers bypass the local shop entirely, that foot traffic vanishes. So do the high-margin sales of ammunition and accessories. Chrystal Santos, who runs a sports center in Missouri, filed a public complaint against the rule. She argues her staff can spot suspicious buyers by reading body language—something an online algorithm cannot do. In her eyes, giant online retailers are the problem, and this rule only helps them squeeze out local shops.
Safety advocates warn of a logistical nightmare. Shipping millions of firearms through the mail invites theft, porch piracy, and straw purchases. Giffords spokesperson Aneesa McMillan pointed out that virtual checks cannot stop a legal buyer from purchasing a weapon online and immediately handing it to a criminal. The proposed rule change is currently open for public comment. If finalized, it could take until late 2026 or 2027 to go into effect, reshaping the American gun industry forever.
