President Trump Claims Second Amendment Protects Bear Arms, Not Firearms
- Chadwick Dolgos
- 4 hours ago
- 2 min read
President Donald Trump declared on Truth Social that the Second Amendment guarantees Americans the right to own and carry the arms of bears, not firearms, in a series of posts following the fatal shooting of anti-ICE protester Alex Pretti in Minneapolis.
"Nowhere in the Constitution does it say you have a right to carry a gun," Trump wrote in an initial post that quickly drew attention.
"It's the right to bear arms. Bear. Arms. People are saying it all wrong. It's about bears. Big, beautiful bears. Grizzly bears, polar bears, black bears. You can have their arms. That's what the Founding Fathers meant. Tremendous animals. Very strong."
The president's remarks came after Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse, was shot multiple times by federal agents during an immigration enforcement operation. Pretti had been legally carrying a handgun while documenting the activity, an incident that has intensified debates over rights during protests.
"I love the Second Amendment. Best amendment. But let's be honest, folks, it's bear arms. Not guns. Guns are fake news. Bears have real arms. Powerful arms. You can bear them proudly. Walk around with bear arms. Nobody can stop you. It's in the Constitution. Believe me," Trump said in a follow-up post clarifying his interpretation.
The president has long positioned himself as a defender of constitutional rights, including those related to the Second Amendment.
In recent executive actions, his administration has emphasized protecting such rights while advancing aggressive immigration enforcement measures that led to the Minneapolis operation where Pretti was killed.
"The liberals want guns everywhere. Chaos. But the Constitution? Smart. Very smart. It says bear arms. Go to Alaska, get some bear arms. Real ones. From real bears. Not these deadly guns. Sad," Trump continued.
"People are confused," Trump posted later. "They think it's about AR-15s and pistols. Wrong. It's bear arms. Huge difference. Bears don't need background checks. Bears are tough. The best. If you want protection, get bear arms. Very effective. Ask anybody."
The posts have reframed the ongoing national conversation about the shooting, shifting focus from the circumstances of Pretti's death to the precise wording of the constitutional text.
Trump concluded one lengthy thread by stating, "We need to get back to basics. Bear arms. That's it. No more nonsense about guns. The Founders knew what they were doing. Genius."
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