The Biden administration has chosen to use this year’s Valentine’s Day to encourage people to get revenge on former lovers by reporting their illegal gun purchases or sales to the federal government.
“Valentine’s Day can still be fun even if you broke up,” reads a message posted on the official Twitter page of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). “Do you have information about a former (or current) partner involved in illegal gun activity? Let us know, and we will make sure it’s a Valentine’s Day to remember!”
The post also includes an image showing a broken heart and the contact information for the ATF. “Got an ex who buys or sells guns illegally? We would love to meet and treat them to a Valentine’s Day surprise!” the image text reads.
The Justice Department, which is seeking to crack down on what it calls “ghost guns” and firearms made from DIY kits, shared the post.
The ATF’s Valentine’s Day message was not well received on social media, with many expressing concerns over “swatting,” a harassment tactic of reporting an non-exist emergency situation in order to get an armed law enforcement response—such as a SWAT team—against a target victim.
“Pissed by at your ex? Why not get them swatted?” one user wrote.
Some also pointed to the large amount of military equipment left behind when U.S. military forces were hastily withdrawn last year from Afghanistan at the order of President Joe Biden. Images circulated online showed Taliban fighters posing with M4 carbines and M16 rifles and opening crates of new firearms, drones, and night-vision goggles—a small part of the American war chest seized as trophies by the Taliban, the terrorist group that once again controls the war-torn country.
“The Biden administration just left an immeasurable amount of weapons and firepower in Afghanistan. I’d look into that,” one person wrote.
For others, the post evokes their memory of the ATF’s now-disgraced Operation Fast and Furious. As part of the sting operation, the ATF under the Obama administration intentionally released weapons to suspected middlemen in the hope that this would lead the agency to high-level gun and drug traffickers in Mexico.
The AFT agents, however, lost track of hundreds of those weapons, many of which ended up in hands of criminals, including the Mexican bandit who used an AK-47 to shot and kill Border Patrol officer Brian Terry in 2010 during a gunfight in Arizona.
Valentine's Day can still be fun even if you broke up. Do you have information about a former (or current) partner involved in illegal gun activity? Let us know, and we will make sure it's a Valentine's Day to remember! Call 1-888-ATF-TIPS or email ATFTips@atf.gov. pic.twitter.com/OdDIPdIzkr
— ATF HQ (@ATFHQ) February 14, 2022
Candidates for office, conservative media figures, and gun rights advocacy organizations slammed the agency in response.
“Abolish the ATF,” Josh Mandel, a candidate for the Republican nomination to replace retiring Ohio Sen. Rob Portman, tweeted.
https://twitter.com/JoshMandelOhio/status/1493281375251795970
“Why don’t you guys focus on Mexican drug cartels?” J.D. Vance, who is running against Mandel, posted.
Why don’t you guys focus on Mexican drug cartels https://t.co/Ei7bWGT36w
— J.D. Vance (@JDVance1) February 14, 2022
“Hunter Biden lied on a Form 4473 to purchase a gun he wasn’t legally allowed to possess. Is that still a crime, or is it okay if you’re the corrupt, crackhead son of the president?” Sean Davis, co-founder of the Federalist, asked on Twitter.
https://twitter.com/seanmdav/status/1493250728978223112
“Hi @ATFHQ — I’d like to report Barack Obama and Joe Biden who oversaw guns being run to Mexican Cartels who then used the guns to kill people,” Tennessee congressional candidate Robby Starbuck tweeted at the ATF.
Hi @ATFHQ — I’d like to report Barack Obama and Joe Biden who oversaw guns being run to Mexican Cartels who then used the guns to kill people. I’m sure you’ll knock their door down, right? https://t.co/8wYeHJmNR8
— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) February 14, 2022
“What if it’s your own government for a gun-running op called Fast and Furious? Weren’t you guys involved in that?” conservative talk show host Dana Loesch asked.
What if it’s your own government for a gun-running op called Fast and Furious? Weren’t you guys involved in that? https://t.co/elw4iq9JR0
— Dana Loesch (@DLoesch) February 14, 2022
“Just when you thought the ATF’s twitter couldn’t get worse,” the Firearms Policy Coalition said in a tweet.
Some users raised questions about whether the ATF’s post on Twitter could lead to a tragic outcome.
“What could go wrong when it comes to the ATF and SWATTING people for ‘fun’?” Michael Praats asked in a post.
What could go wrong when it comes to the ATF and SWATTING people for 'fun'? https://t.co/autYcL3SZF
— Michael Praats (@michael_praats) February 14, 2022
“Wherein the ATF not only encourages, but makes a joke about swatting ex boyfriends,” a second user posted.
Wherein the ATF not only encourages, but makes a joke about swatting ex boyfriends. Can you see who the bad guys are yet? https://t.co/hR725tILnE
— BestIronChris (@Greatironchris_) February 14, 2022