The U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro has since backtracked from her earlier remarks.

Gun advocates and Second Amendment supporters are criticizing recent remarks by Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. Attorney for Washington, D.C. The federal prosecutor stated that anyone who travels to the capital with a gun—even lawfully—can land in jail. After receiving backlash, she backtracked and clarified that she is focused on unlawful carriers of firearms.

Pirro sparked controversy on Monday during a Fox News interview when she said gun owners, including those who are licensed, could expect arrest if they come to D.C. Pirro said, “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. You bring a gun into this district, count on going to jail, and hope you get the gun back.”

A day later, she walked back her words after criticism from party supporters. In a video on X, Pirro called herself a proud gun owner and supporter of the Second Amendment.

A message to my fellow gun owners…put your safety back on 😉 pic.twitter.com/fkgWD7GsuB

— Jeanine Pirro (@JudgeJeanine) February 3, 2026

Pirro clarified that she meant unlawful gun owners, explaining, “Washington, D.C., law requires handguns be licensed in the District with the Metropolitan Police Department to be carried into our community.”

Several Republicans distanced themselves from her earlier views. Republican Rep. Greg Steube said he brings a firearm every week from Florida to D.C. Republican Chip Roy, a representative from Texas, said that this isn’t how it works and that a course correction is needed.

Meanwhile, the National Rifle Association also criticized the remarks and posted on X, “Your right to self-defense should not end simply because you crossed a state line or into Washington, D.C.”

This comes at a time when President Donald Trump also denounced gun rights after protester Alex Pretti—a licensed gun owner—was shot dead by federal agents in Minnesota. Pretti was carrying a gun at the protest where he was shot, but there is no evidence to suggest that he brandished the weapon. The president, however, said, “I don’t like that he had a gun. I don’t like that he had two fully loaded magazines.”

Gun rights groups have been alarmed by recent comments from the Trump administration regarding firearms. This marks a departure from their longstanding stance on the Second Amendment; Republicans have historically been fiercely protective of Americans’ rights to carry guns.

Traveling With a Gun 

You can legally travel with a gun in the United States, including by train, car, and plane. However, you should check state laws to understand what is required—some states are stricter about concealed weapons and may require registration. For example, Virginia doesn’t require a license or permit to carry guns, but Washington, D.C., and New York do. While traveling within California, you can transport an unloaded firearm in a locked container or the trunk. If you’re traveling by train, you need to declare your arms and ammunition to Amtrak; whether you’re checking them or carrying them in a locked container in your suitcase, they must be unloaded.

Every day, the Transportation Security Administration finds loaded and unloaded weapons at airport security gates across the country. You are legally allowed to fly with your weapon domestically, but you must follow all rules. You need to keep it unloaded in a locked hard-sided container, and it can be transported as checked baggage. “Declare the firearm and/or ammunition to the airline when checking your bag at the ticket counter. The container must completely secure the firearm from being accessed. Locked cases that can be easily opened are not permitted.” You cannot bring loaded or unloaded guns to security gates, and all ammunition needs to be checked in as well.

No matter how you travel, make sure to check the laws at both your departure point and your destination if you are carrying a firearm.

Related: The 5 U.S. Cities With the Strictest Gun Laws — and the 5 With the Loosest