Trump signals he will push for measures against gun violence
President praises NRA members
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Thursday endorsed a higher minimum age for buying certain rifles and tighter background checks for purchasers, saying “there’s nothing more important than protecting our children,” amid a public outcry for action after the Florida school shooting.
Trump said he spoke Wednesday night with many members of Congress and “they’re into background checks.” The president commented as he opened a school safety discussion at the White House with state and local officials from around the country.
Early Thursday, Trump tweeted his strongest stance on gun control, one day after an emotional White House session in which students and parents poured out wrenching tales of lost lives and pleaded for action.
Trump said on Twitter, “I will be strongly pushing Comprehensive Background Checks with an emphasis on Mental Health. Raise age to 21 and end sale of Bump Stocks!” The president did not immediately offer more details.
Trump’s focus on gun violence came as leaders of the National Rifle Association offered a vigorous defense of gun rights during the Conservative Political Action Conference. The NRA officials didn’t address whether the federal government should raise the age limit for young adults to buy weapons. The NRA on Wednesday announced it opposes raising the age limit.
The current federal minimum age for buying or possessing handguns is 21, but the limit is 18 for rifles including assault-type weapons such as the AR-15 used in last week’s attack in Florida that killed 17 students and staff members.
“We’re going to work on getting the age up to 21 instead of 18,” Trump said at the White House, adding that he thinks the NRA will back it — despite the group’s stated opposition. “The NRA will back it and so will Congress,” the president predicted.
In another tweet, Trump repeated his urgent call for trained teachers or others in schools to carry guns as a deterrent to attacks.
“If a potential ‘sicko shooter’ knows that a school has a large number of very weapons talented teachers (and others) who will be instantly shooting, the sicko will NEVER attack that school. Cowards won’t go there… problem solved. Must be offensive, defense alone won’t work!” Trump tweeted.
He has previously expressed an interest in efforts to strengthen the federal background check system. It was not clear if he would back closing loopholes that permit loose private sales on the internet and at gun shows.
The National Rifle Associated on Wednesday quickly rejected any talk of raising the age for buying long guns to 21.
“Legislative proposals that prevent law-abiding adults aged 18-20 years old from acquiring rifles and shotguns effectively prohibits them for purchasing any firearm, thus depriving them of their constitutional right to self-protection,” the group said in a statement.
Trump, despite his new push for at least some gun control changes, stressed his backing for the NRA on Thursday, tweeting that “the folks who work so hard at the @NRA are Great People and Great American Patriots. They love our Country and will do the right thing. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
On Wednesday, Trump listened intently at a White House meeting in which students and their parents appealed to him to press for stricter gun controls.