The Trump DOJ Is Quietly Giving Felons Their Gun Rights Back
Quietly, with little fanfare, the Trump administration has already begun restoring gun rights to convicted felons. And if the numbers being thrown around are any indication, this is only a preview of what's coming.
In late February, the Department of Justice published a list in the Federal Register — 22 names. People who had lost their right to own a firearm due to felony convictions, indictments, or other charges. Just like that, their gun rights were back.
Now the DOJ is gearing up to make that process available to potentially one million applicants a year.
Who's Already on the List?
The 22 people whose rights were restored in February cover a range of convictions — nonviolent drug offenses, bribery, fraud, tax charges. Many had previously applied for pardons or commutations. A few had taken a more aggressive route: suing the Justice Department directly.
One name stands out more than the others.
Jake Hoffman, an Arizona state senator, was among those who had his gun rights restored. Hoffman was charged in Arizona's fake elector scheme following the 2020 election — part of the effort to keep Trump in the White House. Trump already pardoned Hoffman on the federal side, but he's still facing a state indictment in Arizona, which under federal law meant he couldn't legally purchase new firearms.
That changed in February. Hoffman declined to comment.
The Program Behind It
Federal law has long prohibited felons from owning guns. It also bans anyone convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence from purchasing firearms. But a little-known federal relief process — one that's been essentially dormant since 1992 — allows people to petition for their rights back. The Trump administration is bringing it back to life in a big way.
Last summer, the DOJ proposed a formal system for handling these petitions, complete with an online portal, up to 50 full-time staff to review applications, and a $20 filing fee. The final rule hasn't dropped yet, but the DOJ says it's coming soon.
The proposal received over 3,400 public comments. Roughly 90% were in favor — many pushing for even fewer restrictions and no waiting periods at all.
The proposed framework would exclude violent felons and those with sex offense convictions. It would also require a 10-year waiting period after completing a sentence for serious offenses, and a 5-year wait for lesser ones. Gun rights groups including the NRA and the National Association of Gun Rights are fully on board.
Gun violence prevention organizations are not.
"Who are these people, and why are their rights to purchase deadly weapons being restored?" said Kris Brown, president of Brady, a gun control group, adding that the administration appears to be pushing forward before even finishing the formal rulemaking process — meaning public input is effectively being sidelined.
The Lawsuit Shortcut
For some, waiting around wasn't the strategy. At least two people on the February list got their rights back after suing the DOJ.
George Manosis, a 63-year-old Philadelphia real estate developer, was convicted of bribery back in 2005 in what his attorney described as a low-level pay-to-play situation involving building inspectors. He sued DOJ and ATF in 2023. After Trump's executive order, a DOJ staffer reached out to walk him through the restoration process.
Manosis says he goes into rough parts of Philadelphia for his work and wants the ability to protect himself. He also says he has no connection to the Trump administration.
John Mastrangelo, 45, out of Parkland, Florida, took a similar path. Convicted in 2001 on narcotics conspiracy charges and sentenced to nearly four years in prison, Mastrangelo sued DOJ in 2024 and was invited to apply for restoration. His attorney says he rebuilt his life, built a business, and was an avid hunter before his conviction stripped that from him.
The Mel Gibson Problem
This whole program became a flashpoint early on when the DOJ restored gun rights to 10 people in a pilot run last April — including Mel Gibson. The Academy Award-winning director had a 2011 domestic violence conviction, which set him apart from the other nonviolent cases in the group.
DOJ pardon attorney Liz Oyer refused to sign off on Gibson. In internal chats later revealed through a FOIA lawsuit, she called him "the profile of exactly who I would not recommend for this type of relief."
On March 7, Oyer was fired. Security guards met her with a termination memo signed by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. No official reason was given. She's now appealing and has filed a FOIA suit seeking documentation around her dismissal — so far, nothing has turned up.
The Bottom Line
One million applications a year. A dormant program being dusted off and turbocharged. A pardon attorney fired after pushing back on a Hollywood celebrity's domestic violence case. Whether you see this as long-overdue relief for nonviolent offenders or a reckless expansion of gun access — one thing is clear.
This is just the beginning.
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