Trump Says Protesters “Can’t Have Guns,” Immediately Alienates His Most Armed Supporters

WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Trump briefly destabilized the ideological foundation of the MAGA coalition Tuesday after announcing that protesters “can’t have guns,” a statement that immediately alienated the most heavily armed segment of his base.

The comment came as Trump weighed in on the Minneapolis shooting of Alex Pretti, a man who was legally carrying a concealed firearm but never brandished it. Trump said he “didn’t like” that Pretti had a gun or extra magazines, adding that protesters simply shouldn’t be armed—a statement that stunned supporters who spent years making gun ownership their entire identity.

“I thought the whole point was that we’re always allowed to have guns,” said one heavily armed MAGA warrior, adjusting his tactical vest. “That’s literally the deal. If that’s not the deal anymore, someone should’ve said something before I bought all this stuff.”

White House officials quickly reassured supporters that the president remains firmly pro–Second Amendment, emphasizing that gun rights are still absolute in principle, flexible in practice, and subject to reinterpretation depending on the political alignment of whoever’s “holding.”

At press time, Trump supporters were reportedly confident the issue would resolve itself once Trump inevitably changed his position again—possibly before the end of the week.