(NewsNation) — Liberty Safe is facing a backlash for complying with an FBI warrant and providing access to a safe owned by a man charged in connection with the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
The safe belonged to Nathan Hughes, 34, Newsweek reported.
Liberty Safe said in a statement posted to X, the former Twitter: “Our company protocol is to provide access codes to law enforcement if a warrant grants them access to a property. After receiving the request, we received proof of the valid warrant, and only then did we provide them with an access code. Liberty Safe had no knowledge of any of the details surrounding the investigation at the time.”
Several people have spoken out against Liberty Safe, some claiming they’re planning to return their gun safes.
Charlie Kirk, CEO of Turning Point USA, posted on social media platform X that “Liberty Safe is an enemy to gun owners.” He urged his followers to “boycott, ridicule, and ruin their company.”
On the other hand, billionaire tech entrepreneur Elon Musk posted, “Liberty Safe had no choice here and are not to blame.”
Tracy Walder, who worked with the CIA and FBI, sided with Musk. She said Liberty Safe “absolutely did the right thing.”
“If the FBI serve you a warrant, you don’t have a choice but to comply with it. I actually have a Liberty Safe of my own. I have no plans to be getting rid of it,” Walder said during an appearance Thursday night on “The Hill on NewsNation.”
In response to recent criticism, Liberty Safe issued another statement allowing customers to have their “access codes expunged.”
“This change allows customers to take control of how their information is stored and protected. We understand that many customers are willing to willing to assume the responsibility of safeguarding their own combination. While those who opt out of our data storage process will have limited recourse in case of a lost combination, we respect their choice and are here to support them in the way that’s best for them,” the statement said.