Our navy installations have been changed into gun-free zones—leaving our service members weak and uncovered.
That ends at this time. pic.twitter.com/IQ204YepZ0
— Secretary of Battle Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) April 2, 2026
Army coverage on carrying private firearms simply acquired flipped by Secretary of Battle Pete Hegseth, who signed a memo directing navy base commanders to permit personnel—“specifically, uniformed service members”—to hold privately owned firearms “whereas of their nonofficial responsibility capability on DOW property inside the USA.”
Hegseth signed the memo whereas asserting the brand new coverage on a video posted on “X” on Thursday. In his announcement, which ran simply over 2 minutes, 30 seconds, Hegseth famous, “Earlier than at this time, it was just about unimaginable—most individuals in all probability don’t know this—for Battle Division personnel to get permission to hold and retailer their very own private weapons aligned with the state legal guidelines the place we function our installations. Successfully, our bases throughout the nation have been gun-free zones, except you’re coaching, or except you’re a navy policeman, you couldn’t carry. You couldn’t carry your individual firearm in your personal private safety onto submit. Effectively, that’s now not.”
In a press release obtained by Ammoland Information from Kostas Moros, director of Authorized Analysis and Schooling for the Second Modification Basis, he mentioned, “SAF absolutely helps Secretary Hegseth’s choice to allow our service members to have the ability to carry private firearms on navy bases, with any denials requiring a written rationalization. SAF believes any ‘gun-free zones’ are constitutionally questionable, and likewise create mushy targets which can be engaging to criminals and others bent on violence. The truth that navy bases, of all locations, have been beneath such restrictions has lengthy been perplexing to us. Serving your nation shouldn’t require the wholesale abandonment of the Second Modification proper of armed self-defense. It’s glorious to listen to that this harmful coverage is lastly altering.”
In asserting this modification of coverage, Hegseth alluded to previous tragedies on navy bases, together with a December 2019 assault at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida which left three males lifeless and eight different individuals wounded, and one other incident at Fort Stewart-Hunter Military Airfield, Georgia in August 2025. That incident left 5 troopers wounded, and was dedicated by Sgt. Quornelius Radford, utilizing his personal firearm. On March 31, he pleaded responsible to a number of expenses, in line with WTOC Information. He’ll face additional expenses of tried premeditated homicide and unpremeditated homicide on June 15.
There was one other deadly capturing at Holloman Air Pressure Base in New Mexico on March 17, which resulted in a single fatality.
Going again additional in historical past, two separate shootings occurred at Fort Hood, Texas, one in 2009 throughout which 13 individuals have been killed, and the opposite in 2014, which left 4 lifeless. The 2009 capturing was dedicated by then-Main Nidal Hasan, utilizing his personal firearm, as famous by the New York Occasions. Hasan was convicted and sentenced to dying. Following a collection of appeals, which stretched over a number of years, the U.S. Supreme Court docket denied Hasan’s ultimate petition for a writ of certiorari. Final September, Hegseth mentioned he would search formal approval from President Donald Trump for the execution to be carried out, in line with Wikipedia.
In accordance with a media launch from Hegseth’s workplace, the undersecretary of battle for intelligence and safety will likely be liable for updating the Battle Division Guide, which lays out bodily safety measures for the DOW. This replace “will authorize allowing officers to evaluation service member requests to hold personally owned firearms.”
In his video, Hegseth states, “If the rejection of an utility is important, the rejection shall be in writing and clarify the target, clearly describable, and individualized foundation for such choice. The evaluation shall be a dispassionate and commonsense utility of relevant legislation and requirements.”
Hegseth’s announcement has actually reversed long-standing coverage, and he matter-of-factly defined why it is sensible.
“The Battle Division’s uniformed service members are educated on the highest and unwavering requirements,” Hegseth mentioned. “These warfighters — entrusted with the security of our nation — aren’t any much less entitled to train their God-given proper to maintain and bear arms than every other American. Our warfighters defend the appropriate of others to hold. They need to be capable of carry themselves.”
He subsequently noticed, “Not all enemies are international, nor are all of them outdoors our borders. Some are home.”
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About Dave Workman
Dave Workman is a senior editor at TheGunMag.com and Liberty Park Press, writer of a number of books on the Proper to Preserve & Bear Arms, and previously an NRA-certified firearms teacher.
