A federal appeals court ruled Friday that New Jersey's bans on assault firearms and magazines that can hold more than 10 rounds are unconstitutional.
This is the first time a federal appeals court has struck down a state ban on such weapons, and it comes as the U.S. Supreme Court is set to consider whether bans on semiautomatic rifles violate the Second Amendment. Just last week, a different federal appeals court upheld Illinois' ban on semiautomatic weapons.
Friday's appeals court ruling in the New Jersey case goes further than a July 2024 ruling from a federal judge, who said that the state's ban on AR-15s specifically was unconstitutional but upheld the provision barring larger magazines. The 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said Friday in its opinion that the state's entire ban on weapons it deems to be “assault firearms” and restriction on “large capacity ammunition magazines” were unconstitutional.
New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport, a Democrat whose office defended the law, said in a statement that the decision is “as unfortunate as it is legally incorrect.”
“Every other federal circuit court to consider the issue has come out the other way,” Davenport said. “Assault weapons and large capacity magazines play a dangerous role in the modern epidemic of mass shootings, and New Jersey acted reasonably and lawfully in restricting them. We are considering our options.”
John Commerford, executive director of the National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action, called the ruling a “historic victory for the NRA, the Second Amendment, and law-abiding Americans."
Adam Winkler, a law professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, said that Friday's ruling was surprising because federal courts of appeals have upheld assault weapons bans in the past. On the other hand, he added, the decision "may be foretelling the Supreme Court’s coming opinion on assault weapons bans.”
Kelety reported from Phoenix.
FILE - An AR-15 style rifle is fired at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), National Services Center on March 2, 2023, in Martinsburg, W.Va. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)
NEW YORK (AP) — FIFA President Gianni Infantino deemed the World Cup a success on Friday, again lauding President Donald Trump for his role in the event and saying the tournament achieved its mission of uniting people from all corners of the globe.
Infantino pointed to many numbers — sold-out stadiums and big television ratings — as proof that the biggest World Cup ever met expectations, as Trump nodded in approval.
“The American dream, Mr. President, came to reality,” Infantino said as he stood alongside Trump in New York on Friday. “We united the world.”
Trump hosted a reception at Trump Tower in Manhattan for Infantino and international soccer stars. Trump and Infantino spoke next to the golden trophy Trump plans to award to the winner of Sunday’s final between Argentina and Spain.
As he often does in Trump’s presence, Infantino was effusive in his praise: “You don’t need people to compliment you, Mr. President, but this World Cup would not have been such an incredible success without you.”
Trump called this World Cup “one of the all-time greatest sporting events in history,” adding that the tournament galvanized more than just the sporting world.
“So good luck to Spain and Argentina on Sunday and may the best team win,” Trump said.
Earlier Friday, Infantino spoke at the United Nations as part of a daylong session there about how the game can be a catalyst for youth mental health. He brought one of the official game balls that are to be used in Sunday's World Cup final between Argentina and Spain to the stage, calling it “a magic object which has the power to unite the world.”
“We hear it many times, don’t we, that we live in a divided world, that we live in an aggressive world, that there are so many things that divide us, that create us problems,” Infantino said. “But we know as well, and if there is one thing, if there is one thing that this World Cup has shown us and is showing us, we know that there are many more things that bring us together than things that divide us.”
This was the largest World Cup in history, with 48 teams qualifying and matches spread out over the U.S., Canada and Mexico. FIFA has said stadiums have been basically full for each of the 102 matches played to date — there are two remaining, the France-England game for third place in Miami Gardens, Florida, on Saturday, and then Sunday's final in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Total attendance for the tournament will end up somewhere around 6.7 million — a World Cup record, despite concerns months ago that high ticket prices and immigration issues would deter fans from coming to North America for the matches.
“We have seen millions of people coming together in the last month and a half to the United States, to Canada and to Mexico, but in every corner of the world, coming together in a peaceful way, in a joyful way, wanting to spend time together and wanting to celebrate a moment of community,” Infantino said. “This is the strongest message ever and this is the message on which we have to build our future — a future of community and a future of unity.”
The tournament has not had any major security incidents, which some feared, but has featured geopolitical discomfort and controversy. The Iranian team had a tumultuous experience, narrowly being knocked out in the group stage while facing what it said were onerous travel restrictions as its country was at war with the U.S. Infantino was criticized globally after lifting U.S. star Folarin Balogun's red-card suspension following urging from Trump — who described his role in that saga as “making a recommendation.”
“Gianni made yet another of his good decisions,” Trump said.
And the British government has urged FIFA to investigate Argentina’s soccer team after players posed with a banner claiming sovereignty over the Falkland Islands after their semifinal win against England.
Infantino pledged to the U.N. that he and FIFA would “lend our full support” to youth mental health causes, saying that the topic should be taken seriously.
But he pointed to these matches as examples of how sport can be a bridge across language, cultural, political and other barriers.
“In two days, we will know if Spain or Argentina will be the world champion,” Infantino said. “But what we know already, dear friends, is that football is not just the most popular sport in the world, but football has definitely become that common, that universal language that everyone speaks because everyone wants to come together.”
Associated Press Writers Josh Boak in New York and Will Weissert in Washington contributed.
See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here
President Donald Trump listens as FIFA President Gianni Infantino speaks at a reception at Trump Tower in New York, Friday, July 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
President Donald Trump speaks as FIFA President Gianni Infantino listens at a reception at Trump Tower in New York, Friday, July 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
FIFA President Gianni Infantino, center, wearing a Texas belt buckle, adjusts his pants during the World Cup semifinal soccer match between France and Spain in Arlington, Texas, near Dallas, Tuesday, July 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
FIFA president Gianni Infantino signs autographs after Spain defeated France the World Cup semifinal soccer match in Arlington, Texas, near Dallas, Tuesday, July 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
