The U.S. Attorney for Washington, D.C. is the latest administration official to be rebuked by Second Amendment advocates and organizations, after telling a Fox News audience that if you bring a gun into D.C. you’re “going to jail.”
Jeanine Pirro, a former judge and Fox News personality, was talking more generally about bringing down crime in D.C. when she suddenly brought lawful concealed carry holders into the mix, suggesting that concealed carry holders from out of state are committing violent crimes in our nation’s capital.
If you have a non-resident DC carry permit (like I do), it’s perfectly legal to carry into the city. What is Pirro talking about here, and why is a Fox anchor cheering her on? https://t.co/HyTzFibniV
— Stephen Gutowski (@StephenGutowski) February 2, 2026
The biggest issue, at least from a legal perspective, is Pirro’s statement that, “You bring a gun into this district, count on going to jail.”
As Gutowski points out, D.C. does have non-resident permits that allow individuals who live outside the District to legally bring their guns inside the D.C. city limits. Presumably, Pirro wasn’t talking about those permit holders, but she didn’t make an exception for them either.
Pirro’s comments drew responses from 2A advocates and organizations, as well as members of Congress.
I bring a gun into the district every week, @USAttyPirro. I have a license in Florida and DC to carry. And I will continue to carry to protect myself and others.
Come and Take it! https://t.co/GThPY2I8HO
— Congressman Greg Steube (@RepGregSteube) February 3, 2026
The District of Columbia has been “shall issue” since 2017 when the requirement that you must have a “good reason“ to carry a handgun was struck down. Non-residents can obtain a permit in DC — don’t ask me how I know. https://t.co/q6VInhz12A
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) February 2, 2026
Concealed Carry Permit holders are statistically some of the most law abiding citizens in society—even more law abiding than police.
We ARE NOT the problem @USAttyPirro. https://t.co/o5uevGY4a0
— Gun Owners of America (@GunOwners) February 3, 2026
Jeanine Pirro threatening to arrest people for carrying in DC, even if they are law-abiding and licensed, shows how broken and out of touch these gun laws are.
Unacceptable and intolerable comments by a sitting US attorney.
This is why we need Real Constitutional Carry… https://t.co/qCLQhy92EW
— National Association for Gun Rights (@gunrights) February 2, 2026
Of course, as U.S. Attorney, Pirro’s in charge of prosecutions, not arrests. And despite Pirro’s statement, I don’t think the Metropolitan Police Department is going to arrest anyone with a valid non-resident carry permit.
From a political perspective, though, Pirro’s remarks are yet another unforced error by an administration official talking about our right to keep and bear arms. Her comments to Fox News make it sound like concealed carry permitees from other jurisdictions are a major driver of crime in D.C., and if that’s really the case I would be absolutely shocked. In fact, I’ve asked the U.S. Attorney’s office to provide Bearing Arms with the number of individuals with carry permits from other jurisdictions who’ve been charged over the past twelve months for carrying without a D.C. permit, as well as how many of those individuals are also charged with a crime of violence.
Pirro has previously stated that individuals who are openly carrying long guns in violation of D.C. law will not face prosecution by her office, nor will individuals possessing “large capacity” magazines, so long as their guns are legally owned and registered in D.C.
Clearly, then, Pirro has no problem with selective enforcement of D.C. laws. So why not adopt a policy that her office will not prosecute anyone charged with simple possession of a handgun so long as they have a valid carry permit from another jurisdiction? The DOJ Civil Rights Division’s Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon has already expressed concern that D.C.’s lack of reciprocity is unconstitutional, and a policy like that would simply put Pirro’s office in line with Main Justice’s position.
Will Pirro take that step? It would be an easy way for the Trump administration to undo some of the damage it’s done with its relationship to Second Amendment supporters in recent weeks, but I’m not holding my breath that the U.S. Attorney will back off of her comments, much less change her policy on prosecuting concealed carry licensees who mistakenly believe that their permits are recognized in Washington, D.C.
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