Former Congressman Trey Gowdy went on FOX News after the tragic August 27, 2025 Minneapolis school shooting and pushed for so-called “Red Flag” laws.
He claimed the answer is to “keep weapons out of their hands” and “track firearm access.”
But what Gowdy is really pushing is gun confiscation that shreds due process and punishes law-abiding Americans.
Minnesota already has a “Red Flag” law. It’s been in place since 2023.
Yet it did nothing to stop 23-year-old Robin Westman from murdering two children and injuring 17 more at Annunciation Catholic School.
This is not an isolated failure.
Study after study shows “Red Flag” laws are “inconclusive” at best when it comes to reducing crime or gun violence.
What they do consistently is strip citizens of their rights without a trial.
With nothing more than an accusation, a person can have their firearms seized.
What follows is being forced to fight through a long, expensive legal battle just to prove their innocence.
Which is the opposite of “innocent until proven guilty.”
In Florida, Maryland, and other states, “Red Flag” orders have been misused against ordinary citizens.
Some have even been weaponized against children as young as eight.
These laws invite abuse – whether by political opponents, angry ex-spouses, or abusers looking to disarm their victims.
What makes this worse is who’s saying it.
Trey Gowdy built his career as a conservative fighter. Now he’s turned his back on gun owners in South Carolina and across the country.
His comments sparked immediate backlash, with conservatives on X calling him a “traitor” for siding with gun control advocates.
The truth is simple: “Red Flag” Gun Confiscation doesn’t stop criminals. It targets the innocent.
Instead of gutting due process for gun owners, lawmakers should focus on laws that actually punish violent criminals and protect communities.
Gun owners should not be scapegoats for failures of government policy.
That’s why Palmetto Gun Rights is fighting back.
We’re pushing legislation to ban these unconstitutional “Red Flag” schemes in South Carolina and make sure they never gain a foothold in our state.
