The same crowd that’s been screeching about “assault weapons” and “common-sense gun control” for decades is suddenly clutching their pearls and their pistols like it’s the end times. Yeah, you heard that right: Liberals are flocking to the Second Amendment faster than they flee from personal responsibility. Forming their own “progressive” gun clubs, snapping up carry permits like they’re going out of style, and dodging those red-hat gun shops for the sanitized aisles of big-box retailers. It’s the ultimate flip-flop, folks, and it’s happening right now in 2026, post-Trump’s triumphant return to the White House. But why the sudden conversion? Spoiler: It’s all fear-mongering and irony, wrapped in a bow of delicious hypocrisy. Let’s dissect this clown show.
The Surge: From Gun Grabbers to Gun Owners Overnight
Picture this: Back in 2024, before Trump’s landslide, liberals were all about banning AR-15s and turning law-abiding folks into sitting ducks. Fast forward to his second inauguration in January 2025, and bam – the left’s arming up like they’re prepping for a zombie apocalypse they scripted themselves. Membership in these so-called liberal gun clubs has exploded, jumping from 2,700 to 4,500 since November 2024, a whopping 67% spike. Training requests? Quintupled in the same window, with chapters in over 30 states now bulging at the seams. And it’s not just talk; carry permit applications are through the roof. In Massachusetts alone, the state issued 42,785 new permits between January and July 2025, more than double the previous year’s pace.
Nationwide, first-time gun buyers hit 26.2 million between 2020 and 2025, but the post-election rush is skewing hard left. Polls show 29% of Democrats or Democrat-leaners now have a gun at home, up from a low of 22% in 2010. Black adults and those with liberal views are leading the charge, with Black respondents reporting stronger urges to buy and carry post-2024 election. Liberals are 2.11 times more likely to make their firearms readily accessible. Emergency classes are selling out through March 2026, with groups seeing twofold or threefold increases in women and minorities signing up.
Shopping Shenanigans: Big Box Over Bubba’s Gun Shack
These newfound firearm fans aren’t waltzing into your average mom-and-pop gun store decked out in MAGA gear. Nah, they’re too triggered by the pro-Trump vibe, so they’re hitting up corporate giants like Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s instead. It’s their “hold your nose” strategy – get the goods without rubbing elbows with the deplorables. Retail data shows a sharp rise in purchases from these demographics at big-box outlets, where the atmosphere is as neutral as a Swiss bank. Why? Because facing a conservative clerk might force them to confront their own biases, and who has time for that when you’re busy virtue-signaling?
This avoidance is peak liberal logic: Demonize gun culture as “toxic masculinity,” then sneak in the back door to arm yourself. But hey, at least they’re buying American – mostly handguns and AR-15s for “self-defense,” not the hunting rifles of yore.
The Trigger: Trump Derangement Syndrome on Steroids
So why the about-face? Simple: Trump’s back, and the libs are losing their minds. They claim it’s fear of “authoritarianism,” civil unrest, and policies targeting minorities, LGBTQ+ folks, and immigrants. Post-2024 election, surveys show spikes in urges to buy and carry directly tied to the results, with Black and liberal respondents feeling the heat most. Specific freak-outs include arrests of critics, a senator getting handcuffed at a presser, and ICE enforcement actions that have them clutching their soy lattes.
The real kicker? The shooting of Alex Pretti, a licensed gun owner and leftist activist, by federal agents in Minneapolis in early 2026. That lit the fuse, sending training registrations soaring – Pink Pistols chapters in the Twin Cities jumped from five to 25 per class, adding seven more sessions that filled up instantly. Leftist groups are now preaching “arm yourselves” while their politicians push bans. Hypocrisy? You bet. These are the same folks who backed Biden’s gun grabs, but now Trump’s “tyranny” has them rediscovering the Bill of Rights.
It’s not entirely new – surges happened in 2020 amid COVID and riots – but 2025-2026 is unprecedented, with 60% membership growth in some clubs over the year. Polls confirm: Support for stricter gun laws among Democrats is at 86%, yet they’re buying in droves. Go figure.
Clubbing It Up: Socialist Rifles and Pink Pistols
Enter the liberal gun clubs – safe spaces for progressives to learn marksmanship without the camo and country music. The Liberal Gun Club’s leading the pack, with chapters providing training minus the “NRA-style politics.” Socialist Rifle Association? Up 40% in membership. Pink Pistols, for LGBTQ+ folks, are packing classes wall-to-wall. John Brown Gun Clubs are popping up too, all under the banner of “community defense.”
These aren’t your grandpa’s shooting ranges; they’re mutual-aid groups sharing tips on concealed carry and range trips. But here’s the rub: While they’re arming up, their party bosses are still Bloomberg’s puppets, ramming through restrictions. It’s a house divided – lefty gun owners vote blue, then gripe online when the bans bite.
The Irony Overload: Winning Hearts, One Hypocrite at a Time
This trend’s a gift to America First patriots. Every liberal who buys a gun chips away at the anti-Second Amendment monopoly. Broader ownership means tougher sells for blanket bans – diversity in the gun world dilutes the caricatures. Trump, ironically, might be the best thing that happened to 2A unity; his “threat” has libs embracing what they’ve long demonized.
But let’s call it what it is: A desperate pivot from folks who trusted big government until it didn’t suit them. Now they’re “ready to fight back,” posting memes about tyranny while ignoring their own side’s overreach. America First means defending rights for all, even the clueless. So welcome to the club, libs – just don’t shoot yourselves in the foot with more control nonsense. The Golden Age of freedom rolls on, and your hypocrisy is the cherry on top.