Does President Trump believe in gun control? On Wednesday he delivered explosive comments during a televised meeting at the White House, throwing his support behind positions liberal activists have been clamoring for.
On Thursday, however, the president met with the NRA. Chris Cox, the executive director of the NRA Institute for Legislative Action, said the meeting went well.
“I had a great meeting tonight with @realDonaldTrump & @VP. We all want safe schools, mental health reform and to keep guns away from dangerous people,” Cox tweeted.“POTUS & VPOTUS support the Second Amendment, support strong due process and don’t want gun control. #NRA #MAGA”
Trump agreed with assessment: “Good (Great) meeting in the Oval Office tonight with the NRA!” he tweeted about an hour later.
The NRA’s first reaction to Trump’s wild comments about gun control was vitriolic. A spokesman accused the president of going after good ratings rather than good policy. Staunch conservatives recoiled from Trump’s policy suggestions.
“Trump met w/ lawmakers on gun control where he bullied GOP who defend the 2A & said govt should ‘take guns first, go through due process second,'” Fox News host Tucker Carlson said Thursday night.
“Imagine Obama saying something similar? He’d been denounced as a dictator. Congress would talk impeachment. Some would mutter secession.”
Gun owners were panicked because Trump not only voiced support for expanded background checks but spoke seriously about implementing an assault rifle ban. “I like taking the guns early,” Trump said. “Take the guns first, go through due process second.”
It’s easy to see why his words were seen as alarming to some.
The NRA’s announcement that the president is on the group’s side and doesn’t actually support gun control is huge. President Trump’s base, most of the country, in fact, are avid defenders of the Second Amendment. Reasonable gun control laws look nothing like “go through due process second.”
(Source: Business Insider, Daily Mail)