diff --git a/R/assignment_linter.R b/R/assignment_linter.R
index 44f663b80..0fd443f59 100644
--- a/R/assignment_linter.R
+++ b/R/assignment_linter.R
@@ -1,12 +1,14 @@
 #' Assignment linter
 #'
-#' Check that `<-` is always used for assignment.
+#' Check that the specified operator is used for assignment.
 #'
-#' @param allow_cascading_assign Logical, default `TRUE`.
+#' @param operator Character vector of valid assignment operators. Defaults to allowing `<-` and `<<-`; other valid
+#'   options are `=`, `->`, `->>`, and `%<>%`.
+#' @param allow_cascading_assign (Deprecated) Logical, default `TRUE`.
 #'   If `FALSE`, [`<<-`][base::assignOps] and `->>` are not allowed.
-#' @param allow_right_assign Logical, default `FALSE`. If `TRUE`, `->` and `->>` are allowed.
+#' @param allow_right_assign (Deprecated) Logical, default `FALSE`. If `TRUE`, `->` and `->>` are allowed.
 #' @param allow_trailing Logical, default `TRUE`. If `FALSE` then assignments aren't allowed at end of lines.
-#' @param allow_pipe_assign Logical, default `FALSE`. If `TRUE`, magrittr's `%<>%` assignment is allowed.
+#' @param allow_pipe_assign (Deprecated) Logical, default `FALSE`. If `TRUE`, magrittr's `%<>%` assignment is allowed.
 #'
 #' @examples
 #' # will produce lints
@@ -27,6 +29,11 @@
 #'   linters = assignment_linter()
 #' )
 #'
+#' lint(
+#'   text = "x <- 1",
+#'   linters = assignment_linter(operator = "=")
+#' )
+#'
 #' # okay
 #' lint(
 #'   text = "x <- mean(x)",
@@ -64,6 +71,11 @@
 #'   linters = assignment_linter(allow_pipe_assign = TRUE)
 #' )
 #'
+#' lint(
+#'   text = "x = 1",
+#'   linters = assignment_linter(operator = "=")
+#' )
+#'
 #' @evalRd rd_tags("assignment_linter")
 #' @seealso
 #' - [linters] for a complete list of linters available in lintr.
@@ -87,7 +99,7 @@ assignment_linter <- function(operator = c("<-", "<<-"),
     lintr_deprecated("allow_pipe_assign", '"%<>%" in operator', version = "3.2.0", type = "Argument")
     operator <- drop_or_add(operator, "%<>%", allow_pipe_assign)
   }
-  all_operators <- c("<-", "=", "->", "<<-", "->>", ":=", "%<>%")
+  all_operators <- c("<-", "=", "->", "<<-", "->>", "%<>%")
   if ("any" %in% operator) {
     operator <- all_operators
   } else {
@@ -108,15 +120,15 @@ assignment_linter <- function(operator = c("<-", "<<-"),
   op_xpath_parts <- c(
     if (!"=" %in% operator) "//EQ_ASSIGN",
     # -> and ->> are both 'RIGHT_ASSIGN'
-    glue("//RIGHT_ASSIGN[{xp_text_in_table(setdiff(c('->', '->>'), operator))}]"),
+    glue("//RIGHT_ASSIGN[{ xp_text_in_table(setdiff(c('->', '->>'), operator)) }]"),
     # <-, :=, and <<- are all 'LEFT_ASSIGN'; check the text if blocking <<-.
     # NB: := is not linted because of (1) its common usage in rlang/data.table and
     #   (2) it's extremely uncommon as a normal assignment operator
-    glue("//LEFT_ASSIGN[{xp_text_in_table(setdiff(c('<-', '<<-'), operator))}]"),
+    glue("//LEFT_ASSIGN[{ xp_text_in_table(setdiff(c('<-', '<<-'), operator)) }]"),
     if (!"%<>%" %in% operator) "//SPECIAL[text() = '%<>%']"
   )
   if (!is.null(op_xpath_parts)) {
-    # NB: copy-pasted from implicit_assignment_linter. Keep in sync.
+    # NB: Also used, essentially, in implicit_assignment_linter. Keep in sync.
     implicit_assignment_xpath <- "
       [not(parent::expr[
         preceding-sibling::*[2][self::IF or self::WHILE]
diff --git a/R/implicit_assignment_linter.R b/R/implicit_assignment_linter.R
index 70dfd3376..758c8ab6e 100644
--- a/R/implicit_assignment_linter.R
+++ b/R/implicit_assignment_linter.R
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@ implicit_assignment_linter <- function(except = c("bquote", "expression", "expr"
     sep = " | "
   )
 
+  # NB: Also used, essentially, in assignment_linter. Keep in sync.
   xpath <- glue("
     ({assignments})
       /parent::expr[
diff --git a/man/assignment_linter.Rd b/man/assignment_linter.Rd
index 291343fb2..9ed11c6f3 100644
--- a/man/assignment_linter.Rd
+++ b/man/assignment_linter.Rd
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 \title{Assignment linter}
 \usage{
 assignment_linter(
+  operator = c("<-", "<<-"),
   allow_cascading_assign = TRUE,
   allow_right_assign = FALSE,
   allow_trailing = TRUE,
@@ -12,17 +13,20 @@ assignment_linter(
 )
 }
 \arguments{
-\item{allow_cascading_assign}{Logical, default \code{TRUE}.
+\item{operator}{Character vector of valid assignment operators. Defaults to allowing \verb{<-} and \verb{<<-}; other valid
+options are \code{=}, \verb{->}, \verb{->>}, and \verb{\%<>\%}.}
+
+\item{allow_cascading_assign}{(Deprecated) Logical, default \code{TRUE}.
 If \code{FALSE}, \code{\link[base:assignOps]{<<-}} and \verb{->>} are not allowed.}
 
-\item{allow_right_assign}{Logical, default \code{FALSE}. If \code{TRUE}, \verb{->} and \verb{->>} are allowed.}
+\item{allow_right_assign}{(Deprecated) Logical, default \code{FALSE}. If \code{TRUE}, \verb{->} and \verb{->>} are allowed.}
 
 \item{allow_trailing}{Logical, default \code{TRUE}. If \code{FALSE} then assignments aren't allowed at end of lines.}
 
-\item{allow_pipe_assign}{Logical, default \code{FALSE}. If \code{TRUE}, magrittr's \verb{\%<>\%} assignment is allowed.}
+\item{allow_pipe_assign}{(Deprecated) Logical, default \code{FALSE}. If \code{TRUE}, magrittr's \verb{\%<>\%} assignment is allowed.}
 }
 \description{
-Check that \verb{<-} is always used for assignment.
+Check that the specified operator is used for assignment.
 }
 \examples{
 # will produce lints
@@ -43,6 +47,11 @@ lint(
   linters = assignment_linter()
 )
 
+lint(
+  text = "x <- 1",
+  linters = assignment_linter(operator = "=")
+)
+
 # okay
 lint(
   text = "x <- mean(x)",
@@ -80,6 +89,11 @@ lint(
   linters = assignment_linter(allow_pipe_assign = TRUE)
 )
 
+lint(
+  text = "x = 1",
+  linters = assignment_linter(operator = "=")
+)
+
 }
 \seealso{
 \itemize{