Trump Says Guns are 'For Entertainment' — To The Parents of School Shooting Victims

Donald Trump’s recent comments on gun control have left many stunned, particularly those who have been directly affected by school shootings. During a Univision town hall, audience member Jesus Gonzalez, 33, asked Trump to address his stance on gun control to the parents of victims. Trump emphasized his unwavering support for the Second Amendment, stating, “We have a Second Amendment and right to bear arms, essentially."

He continued, “And I’m very strongly an advocate of that — I think you need that. I think that if you ever tried to get rid of it, you wouldn’t be able to do it. You wouldn’t be able to take away the guns, because people need that for security. They need it for entertainment, and for sport and other things — but they also, in many cases, need it for protection.” Trump reiterated the well-known argument made by former NRA leader Wayne LaPierre, asserting that if more 'good people' are armed, it would help in reducing crime, as reported by HuffPost.

He explained, “You want to have a lot of good people have [guns],” the former president said. “But if we didn’t have that, you would see a crime rate that’s crazy.” However, contrary to Trump's claims, studies from the Center for Gun Violence Solutions at Johns Hopkins University show that states with more relaxed gun regulations, especially in the Southern and Mountain West regions, tend to have higher rates of gun-related deaths. Trump's statement that guns are necessary 'for entertainment' was met with strong backlash, particularly as he was addressing individuals who had lost loved ones to school gun violence.

"That's his answer? Entertainment...sport...that's what shooting kids in classrooms is to him?" one user posted on X. Another quipped, "Wow, thanks Trump! Because what every school needs is more guns. I mean, who needs pencils and books when you can have pistols and AKs? And let's not forget, guns are perfect for entertainment! Nothing says 'fun' like the risk of accidental discharge." One user humorously mentioned Trump's wife, Melania, saying, "Omg! Where’s Melania, come get your man. He needs a check-up, has he been missing doctor's appointment ?"

This isn't the first time the former president has been indifferent to school shootings or gun violence. According to NBC News, After a school shooting in Perry, Iowa, he told residents that such incidents are something people need to ‘get over.’ His running mate, Senator JD Vance, has called school shootings a ‘fact of life’ and suggested schools should ‘make the doors lock better.’ Additionally, during a speech to the NRA, Trump openly boasted about ‘doing nothing’ when it came to implementing gun reforms.

Even during his two-minute response, Trump did not mention school shootings but instead focused on accusing his Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, of wanting to confiscate Americans' guns. “She wants to take everybody’s gun away, you know she’s always wanted that,” Trump alleged. “That’s because, uh, that’s what she wants. She wants to take everybody’s gun. You know who will never give their guns up? The bad guy. The bad guy’s not giving up the guns. So that’s what we have. We want safety, we want security, but you have to still adhere to the Second Amendment," he added.