Staff Reports
Governor Tim Walz has bypassed Minnesota’s lawmakers by signing two executive orders on December 16, 2025, targeting gun violence in a move that reeks of executive overreach after his failed push for outright bans on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. Executive Order 25-12 directs state agencies to increase the promotion of the state’s red flag laws, develop guidance for the easier issuance of extreme risk protection orders, and launch safe storage education campaigns, while also mandating the collection of firearm-related data from insurance companies. This comes on the heels of Walz’s unsuccessful bid for a special legislative session, where Republicans wisely refused to rubber-stamp his radical agenda, forcing him to sidestep the democratic process.
These orders represent a dangerous end-run around the Second Amendment, expanding red flag provisions that allow guns to be seized without due process based on mere allegations, a tactic ripe for abuse by vindictive exes or political opponents. Walz’s administration is peddling the myth that guns are the top killer of youth, ignoring FBI data showing gang violence and suicides dominate those tragedies, not lawful owners’ accidents. By ordering safe storage propaganda in schools and data grabs from insurers, he’s laying the groundwork for future confiscations, all while pretending it’s about safety rather than control.
The second order, establishing a Statewide Safety Council, is stacked against gun owners, with no seats for Second Amendment advocates, ensuring biased recommendations that will fuel more restrictions in the 2026 session. This council will study mass violence and push for policies that demonize firearms, collecting “costs of gun violence” data to justify assaults on law-abiding citizens who rely on their guns for protection. It’s classic progressive playbook: fail legislatively, then weaponize the bureaucracy to erode rights incrementally.
Gun rights groups like the NRA and Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus are spot on in calling this political theater a “Bah Humbug” gift to anti-Second Amendment radicals that does nothing to stop criminals who ignore laws. Walz’s frustration with Republican stonewalling reveals his disdain for checks and balances, as he prefers unilateral power to impose a nanny-state vision where self-defense is suspect. Real safety comes from enforcing existing laws against violent offenders, not harassing hunters, sport shooters, and families upholding their constitutional protections.
As 2026 looms, Minnesota patriots must rally at the Capitol, contact legislators, and reject this assault on freedom. Walz’s orders signal a broader war on the right to bear arms, but history shows tyrants fall when free citizens stand firm. This isn’t public health—it’s a power grab that demands fierce opposition to preserve the liberties that keep America strong.
