Trump expected to meet the parents of shooting victims

DONALD Trump was last night travelling to Florida “to meet with some of the bravest people on earth”.

He was expected to thank first responders to the horrific high school shooting and also come face-to-face with parents, survivors and others, some of whom have angrily called for action to prevent future assaults.

The president tweeted that he will be meeting people “whose lives have been totally shattered”, but did not elaborate on his plans.

White House officials have not said whether he would travel to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland.

Mr Trump had already been slated to travel to Florida to spend the weekend at his Palm Beach estate, which is about 40 miles from Parkland. He did not address the nation in the hours after Wednesday’s shooting but did deliver a sombre statement the following morning from the White House, directly addressing children who may feel “lost, alone, confused or even scared”.

“I want you to know that you are never alone and you never will be,” Mr Trump said. “You have people who care about you, who love you, and who will do anything at all to protect you.”

In Florida, parents and a notable number of students are demanding action in addition to the usual offers of “thoughts and prayers”.

More than 1,000 people attended a candlelight vigil on Thursday night near the school, and at one point some began chanting: “No more gun! No more guns!”

Mr Trump, who frequently boasts about his support for the National Rifle Association, made no mention of gun violence or any new measure to restrict access to firearms during his Thursday remarks. He did promise to tackle school safety and “the difficult issue of mental health”.