Jeanine Ferris Pirro, the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, on Tuesday appeared to walk back her threat that anyone who brings a firearm into the nation’s capital could face criminal penalties.
“Some people are concerned about something I said yesterday, so I want to be crystal clear. I am a proud supporter of the second amendment. I have guns myself, long guns, hand guns, and i’m a proud high heeled gun owner.,” Pirro said in a video posted on X.
On Monday, Pirro warned that lawful gun owners could face jail time if they bring a gun into D.C., even if the owner is legally permitted to carry the weapon elsewhere.
“You bring a gun into the district, you mark my words, you’re going to jail. I don’t care if you have a license in another district, and I don’t care if you’re a law-abiding gun owner somewhere else,” Pirro said during a Fox News interview on Monday. “You bring a gun into this district, count on going to jail and hope you get the gun back.”
But in her minute-long video Tuesday, Pirro said that lawful gun owners are not being targeted.
“Washington, D.C. law requires handguns be licensed in the District with the Metropolitan Police Department to be carried into our community,” she says. “We are focused on individuals who are unlawfully carrying guns and will continue building on that momentum to keep our communities safe.”
“We’re taking guns off the street, illegal guns in the hands of criminals who want to use those guns to victimize law abiding citizens,” she said. “There’s a big difference here. You’re responsible. You follow the laws. You’re not going to have a problem with me.”
Pirro’s comments reflect an intensifying debate over gun rights and law enforcement practices. The threat marks a notable departure from the Trump administration’s past rhetoric championing Second Amendment protections.
Her warning also comes weeks after the killing of Alex Pretti, a licensed gun owner who was shot by federal immigration officers in Minneapolis earlier this month. The aftermath of the tragedy sparked national outrage and has stoked GOP infighting over gun rights and enforcement priorities.
Pirro’s remarks drew swift criticism from Republican lawmakers and gun rights groups who argued that Pirro’s position undermines constitutional rights. The National Association for Gun Rights called Pirro’s comments “unacceptable and intolerable.”
“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,” the NAGR said.
Rep. Greg Steube, R-Fla., who regularly travels to Washington, said he carries a firearm for self-protection and challenged Pirro to take it away. “I will continue to carry to protect myself and others,” Steube wrote on social media, adding, “Come and take it!”
Washington, D.C., has some of the strictest gun laws in the country, requiring all firearms to be registered with the Metropolitan Police Department and generally prohibiting residents and nonresidents from carrying certain weapons without specific permits.
Ebony Davis is a breaking news reporter for MS NOW based in Washington, D.C. She previously worked at CNN as a campaign reporter covering elections and politics.