Biden Did Not Say He Wants to Ban Handguns

Misbar found no evidence that Biden wants or is trying to ban all handguns. During the CNN Town Hall referenced in the claim, Biden said: “I’m the only guy that ever got passed legislation, when I was a senator, that made sure we eliminated assault weapons. The idea you need a weapon that can have the ability to fire 20, 30, 40, 50, 120 shots from that weapon — whether it’s a — whether it’s a 9-millimeter pistol or whether it’s a rifle — is ridiculous. I’m continuing to push to eliminate the sale of those things, but I’m not likely to get that done in the near term.”

Biden references assault rifles and high-capacity magazines that can be used in handguns and rifles. High-capacity magazines are generally defined as any magazine capable of holding 10 or more rounds. The Keep Americans Safe Act that was introduced in 2019 set out to ban high-capacity magazines nationwide.

Biden does plan to take several actions as a part of his strategy to curb gun violence. This includes holding gun dealers accountable for violating laws, supporting law enforcement, and investing in community violence interventions. At no point does the Biden administration’s strategy mention banning handguns.