Trump Touts Gun Control Progress, Plans To Take ‘Wait-And-See’ Approach To Raising Age To Buy Firearms
Donald Trump on Monday touted efforts he’s made towards implementing some gun-control practices in the wake of the Parkland, Florida, school shooting, in a series of tweets that — perhaps surprisingly — admits that there may not be enough political will in Congress to bring all of them into law.
As Yahoo News reports, the series of tweets laid out where things stand on at least three key parts of Trump’s gun-control proposals. Following the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida on February 14, Trump has been actively pushing four specific proposals: strengthening background checks, banning so-called “bump stocks,” arming teachers, and raising the minimum age to purchase certain firearms from 18 to 21.
On two of those points, Trump promises that progress has been made, and is being made.
“Very strong improvement and strengthening of background checks will be fully backed by White House. Legislation moving forward. Bump Stocks will soon be out.”
In fact, just today, as Reason reports, the Justice Department moved to ban bump stocks. The weapon modification, which can be used to increase the firing rate of certain guns, effectively turning them into automatic weapons, were used in the Las Vegas shooting last October that killed 58 people. However, as of this writing, bump stocks are not believed to have been used in the Parkland, Florida, school shooting.
Student hailed as hero in Parkland, Florida school shooting back in intensive care https://t.co/kafgUIIO6o pic.twitter.com/2aPyq8oKb1
— CBS News (@CBSNews) March 11, 2018
Meanwhile, Trump continues to promise that armed school teachers in classrooms will soon be a thing.
“Highly trained expert teachers will be allowed to conceal carry, subject to State Law. Armed guards OK, deterrent!”
In what may be seen as an exceptionally rare move for Trump, however, he appears to admit defeat on at least one key point in his gun-control plan: raising the minimum age to buy certain firearms from 18 to 21. Alleged Parkland shooter Nikolas Cruz, who is 19, was able to legally purchase the weapons he allegedly used because of his age. It’s something that Trump would like to see stopped in the future, but he admits that the political will might not be there in his Republican Party.
….On 18 to 21 Age Limits, watching court cases and rulings before acting. States are making this decision. Things are moving rapidly on this, but not much political support (to put it mildly).
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 12, 2018
In fact, though Trump has promised to work with gun rights group the National Rifle Association and even get them on board with his proposals, it appears as if the organization is continuing to fight new gun control measures tooth-and-nail. Already in Florida, Governor Rick Scott has signed legislation raising the minimum age to buy certain firearms to 21, and already the NRA has sued to block implementation of the law.
