Faced with Trump, guns shift left in the United States

On a wooded field near Richmond, Virginia, gunshots ring out. Collin is learning to shoot under the scorching sun, with a semi-automatic pistol in hand.

It’s his first gun, recently acquired, like other left-wing Americans who fear Donald Trump’s administration.

For this 38-year-old Democrat, the deaths of Renée Good and Alex Pretti – two American citizens killed in January by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis – were a turning point.

He explains, “There are people today, who form a kind of private army with powers given by the state, who roam, attack, and shoot people. That scares me much more than ordinary crimes,” feeling “threatened” by his own government.

Like most of the people interviewed, Collin preferred to be identified only by his first name for fear of reprisals.

After buying a gun, he and his wife, Danni, decided to enroll in a training course taught by Clara Elliott.

Since Donald Trump’s reelection to the White House in November 2024, all of this instructor’s classes, primarily aimed at LGBT individuals and minorities, have been fully booked.

“It was extremely intense,” said the instructor, who sports a large tattoo of Snow White wielding a submachine gun on the inside of her arm.

Twelve people attend the session, initially focused on theory, then on practical shooting exercises. Most had never touched a gun before.

Concerns about political climate, vigorous operations against illegal migrants, dismantling of minority promotion policies, and extreme polarization motivated many participants to show interest in firearms.

After the deaths of two Minneapolis protesters, requests for firearms training at progressive organizations like Clara Elliott’s skyrocketed.

Although guns are traditionally associated with the right in the US, firearms now appeal to a broader audience.

With the surge in demand, new applicants come from all walks of life. The reasons expressed for seeking gun training vary, with many expressing concerns about the possibility of a tyrannical or authoritarian government restricting rights.

There is a sense of a new political threat posed by the Trump administration, motivating people to prepare in a more proactive manner than traditional forms of protest.

Overall, individuals are increasingly motivated to take action due to the changing political landscape, which they perceive as potentially threatening.