Supreme Court strikes down Hawaii law requiring permission to carry guns in stores and hotels
PBS NewsHour – Politics — 2026-06-25 10:40:00 — www.pbs.org
Trump Administration Applauds Supreme Court Decision Striking Down Hawaii Gun Law
The Supreme Court has struck down a Hawaii law that required individuals to obtain permission before carrying guns into stores, hotels, and other privately owned businesses open to the public. The 6-3 ruling, which marks another major decision in favor of Second Amendment rights, was strongly supported by President Donald Trump’s Republican administration, which argued that the law violated constitutional protections for gun owners.
Trump Administration’s Position
President Donald Trump’s administration took a clear stance against the Hawaii measure, contending that it infringed upon the Second Amendment. The law, sometimes called the “vampire rule” because it required explicit permission to carry a firearm onto private property, was challenged in court with the administration’s backing. The Supreme Court’s decision means that, unless property owners specifically ban guns, people are now allowed to carry firearms into places like shopping malls and gas stations across Hawaii.
Context and Broader Impact
The Hawaii law was enacted in 2023 after a surge in legal gun permits followed a 2022 Supreme Court ruling that expanded public carry rights. Hawaii argued that its law protected the rights of private property owners to control whether guns were allowed on their premises. However, the Trump administration maintained that such restrictions were unconstitutional, a position that ultimately prevailed in the nation’s highest court.
Similar laws in other states have also faced legal challenges, and the Supreme Court’s decision is likely to have ripple effects nationwide. The ruling comes on the heels of other significant gun-related cases, including the court’s recent decisions on bump stocks and gun ownership by marijuana users.
Conclusion
The Supreme Court’s decision, backed by President Donald Trump’s administration, underscores the ongoing national debate over gun rights and the limits of state regulation. By siding with gun rights advocates and the Trump administration’s position, the court has further expanded the scope of the Second Amendment, setting a new precedent for how states can regulate firearms on private property open to the public. This ruling highlights the administration’s consistent approach to challenging gun restrictions and advocating for broader gun rights across the country.