Attorney General Pam Bondi’s confirmation hearings raised serious concerns about her record on gun control, and now, just weeks into her tenure, she is already signaling potential trouble for Second Amendment supporters. While Republican majorities in Washington, D.C., present a rare opportunity to dismantle unconstitutional gun laws and agencies, Bondi’s latest comments suggest she may stand in the way of these critical efforts.

During her confirmation hearings, Bondi’s past support for red flag gun confiscation laws and her refusal to take a strong stance against federal gun control measures came under fire. While she attempted to downplay these concerns, gun rights advocates warned that her track record indicated she was no friend to the Second Amendment. Now, those concerns appear to be well-founded.

In recent remarks, Bondi suggested she is considering appointing a “seasoned law enforcement officer” to lead the ATF—a phrase that should send chills down the spines of gun owners everywhere. This is the same language used to describe past ATF directors who have led relentless attacks on law-abiding Americans, including Biden’s anti-gun appointee, Steven Dettelbach, and failed nominee David Chipman. A “seasoned” ATF bureaucrat is not what America needs—it’s what gun control advocates want.

Gun owners made their voices heard loud and clear in November, delivering a resounding pro-freedom mandate. That mandate was not for more of the same; it was for bold action. Republicans now control the White House and Congress, and the time to pass long-overdue pro-gun legislation is now. This means not only appointing an ATF director who will rein in the rogue agency but also taking legislative action to eliminate the ATF’s unconstitutional authority altogether.

Congressman Eric Burlison has already reintroduced the Repeal the NFA Act, which would dismantle one of the most egregious gun control laws in American history. Along with legislation to abolish the ATF, these bills would make Bondi’s choice for ATF Director irrelevant. Until that happens, however, we cannot allow another anti-gun bureaucrat to take the reins at the agency that has spent decades targeting law-abiding gun owners.

If the ATF is not abolished immediately, then it needs a director who will dismantle the agency from within, undoing its unconstitutional overreach and scaling back its enforcement to the point of irrelevance. Anything less is an unacceptable betrayal of the pro-gun movement that helped deliver Republican victories in November.

President Trump must understand that his administration cannot afford to make a mistake with this nomination. Gun owners need to demand that Trump appoint an unapologetic, pro-Second Amendment ATF Director—someone who will slash the agency’s power, not weaponize it against the very Americans who fought to elect him.

At the same time, Congress must act. Republican lawmakers cannot let this moment slip away. The bills to Abolish the ATF and Repeal the NFA must be prioritized. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to destroy the gun control machine before the next anti-gun administration seizes power and uses it to crush our rights even further.

Gun owners need to make their voices heard. Contact President Trump and tell him: No anti-gun ATF Director. No seasoned bureaucrat. Only a fighter who will gut the agency from within. And tell Congress: Pass legislation to abolish the ATF and repeal the NFA—so that no president can ever use this agency against the American people again.

The fight is far from over, and this is the moment to go on offense. The time for compromise is long gone. It’s time to secure permanent Second Amendment victories before it’s too late.