Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin, along with Attorneys General Kathy Jennings and Anthony Brown, is leading a coalition of 16 state attorneys general in a lawsuit against the Trump Administration. The legal action targets the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) over its plan to distribute machine gun conversion devices (MCDs) across the United States.
The ATF's decision involves Forced Reset Triggers (FRTs), which can convert firearms into machine guns capable of firing hundreds of rounds per minute. Despite being previously classified as illegal by the ATF, a settlement under the Trump Administration would halt enforcement against FRTs and redistribute thousands of seized devices.
Attorney General Platkin stated, "We will not stand by as the Trump Administration attempts to secretly legalize machine guns in an effort to once again put firearms industry profits over the safety of our residents." He emphasized that these devices pose significant risks to public safety and have been linked to violent crimes and mass shootings.
Historically, since 1975, similar devices have been classified as illegal machine guns under federal law. The ATF estimates that at least 100,000 FRTs have been distributed nationwide despite this prohibition. Courts have been divided on whether FRTs qualify as machine guns under federal law.
On May 16, 2025, the Trump Administration announced a settlement that would cease enforcement actions against FRTs and redistribute previously seized units. This prompted today's lawsuit seeking to prevent such redistribution due to its potential violation of U.S. law prohibiting civilian ownership of machine guns.
The coalition aims for a preliminary injunction to stop this distribution process. They argue that it threatens public safety and could lead to violations of state laws where such devices are banned.
In New Jersey, Solicitor General Jeremy Feigenbaum leads the case alongside several deputy solicitors general and deputy attorneys general. Delaware and Maryland co-lead this lawsuit with support from attorneys general in Colorado, Hawai’i, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia.
