Former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris have drastically different approaches to gun rights, with the former being friendlier to gun owners and the latter more antagonistic.

Harris has struggled to paint a more moderate picture of her stance toward gun control throughout the 2024 campaign, distancing herself from her prior stances during the 2020 primaries where she advocated for a series of radical restrictions on firearms.

This time around, however, Harris has repeatedly vowed that she does not want to take people’s guns, despite having proposed a mandatory buyback program at the federal level five years ago. She has touted her status as a gun owner as evidence that she believes in the Second Amendment.

Kamala says she owns a Glock.

She not only supported but sponsored legislation which would have barred San Francisco residents from possessing, distributing or manufacturing handguns. pic.twitter.com/LpPkBJFN8b

— I Meme Therefore I Am 🇺🇸 (@ImMeme0) October 8, 2024

Harris’ campaign website indicates that the vice president would “ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, require universal background checks, and support red flag laws that keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people.”

The vice president was also tasked with heading up the White House’s new Office for Gun Violence Prevention earlier this year. The agency was created ostensibly to look at ways to reduce gun crime in America. However, to those who understand how this works, it is obviously another way to push for more restrictions on firearms under the guise of protecting public safety.

Harris, along with President Joe Biden, has also strongly supported the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which passed in 2022. It was the most significant federal gun control law in almost three decades. Its provisions included enhanced background checks for gun buyers under the age of 21, funds for mental health, and closing the “boyfriend loophole” to limit access to firearms for those convicted of domestic violence. The legislation is being challenged in court by 26 Republican-led states.

On the other side, former President Trump has been mostly favorable to gun rights. He has pledged to undo any measures that unduly restrict gun ownership. His campaign describes gun ownership as a “God-given right” and promises that he will “defend law-abiding gun owners,” according to CBS News. "No one will lay a finger on your firearms," Trump told attendees at the NRA’s Great American Outdoor Show in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

During his first term in office, he rolled back an Obama-era regulation that limited access to guns for individuals suffering from mental illness.

His campaign asserted that he would “terminate every single one of the Harris-Biden’s attacks on law-abiding gun owners his first week in office and stand up for our constitutionally enshrined right to bear arms,” CBS News reported.

However, the former president has not always been friendly to the Second Amendment. He was roundly criticized by gun rights advocates when he expressed support for unconstitutional gun restrictions. During a conversation about gun violence, the subject of red flag laws came up. Trump suggested “taking the guns early” and doing due process later when dealing with an individual who is suspected to pose a threat.

Trump: "Take their guns first... due process later" pic.twitter.com/jV9QhlG2y2

— NW Rambler (@iamgregk) January 12, 2023

The Trump administration also issued an executive order banning bump stocks after the mass shooting in Las Vegas.

The outcome of the 2024 election holds significant implications for the future of gun rights in the United States – especially related to how federal and state laws might interact or clash. If Harris wins, her administration will definitely pursue stronger gun control measures, possibly through executive action if she is not able to get legislation passed through Congress.

The vice president would likely lead policy initiatives aimed at limited access to firearms through universal background checks, assault weapons bans, and red flag laws. She would also expand Biden’s effort to weaponize the Bureau for Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) against gun owners and sellers.

Of course, she would inevitably face fierce opposition from gun rights advocates. Moreover, the Supreme Court’s ruling in New York Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen has given more ammo to those seeking to strike down unconstitutional gun control laws, which would hamper her progress against gun ownership. Nevertheless, if Harris is elected, Second Amendment advocates will have an even tougher battle on their hands.

Conversely, a Trump victory would make things easier for gun owners and more frustrating for the anti-gunner lobby. If he fulfills his promises, he will prioritize individual gun ownership rights over federal restrictions.

The former president would likely do away with Biden’s executive orders restricting firearms while reining in the ATF. His election might embolden more states to adopt more permissive gun laws like permitless carry and others. If he has the opportunity to appoint more Supreme Court justices who favor the right to keep and bear arms, he could solidify a court that has already sided with gun rights, which would be a positive sign for years to come.

However, it is worth noting that Trump has shown he can be pressured into giving ground on gun rights given the right circumstances. The bump stock executive order, which was eventually overturned by the Supreme Court, serves as an example. While another Trump presidency would certainly be a boon for those in the gun rights camp, they will have to make sure they keep up the pressure on Trump – especially when there are other mass shootings exploited by the anti-gunner lobby to manipulate people’s emotions.

All in all, another Trump term would be far better for gun rights than Harris. However, the battle will continue regardless of who occupies the White House.