Judge blocks release of instructions for 3D-printed guns

A federal judge Tuesday blocked a scheduled Wednesday release of instructions for do-it-yourself plastic firearms. After a yearslong court battle, the State Department in late June settled a case against Defense Distributed, which sought to publish online instructions on how to make a gun using a 3D printer. The State Department said it initially took the Austin, Texas–based company to court because it wanted to prevent the wrong people from making firearms overseas.

“The Department of Justice suggested that the State Department and the U.S. government settle this case, and so that is what we have done,” State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said Tuesday. “We were informed that we would have lost this case in court—or would have likely lost this case in court based on First Amendment grounds.”

The settlement, which took gun control advocates by surprise, allowed Defense Distributed to resume posting blueprints for the guns. But eight states sued to block the administration’s decision, contending the plastic weapons threaten public safety. U.S. District Judge Robert Lasnik in Seattle agreed, at least for now.

Earlier Tuesday, President Donald Trump expressed concern about the weapons and some measure of surprise, tweeting, “I am looking into 3-D Plastic Guns being sold to the public. Already spoke to NRA, doesn’t seem to make much sense!”