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| Trump Says He Supports Giving Guns Only to Teachers With Special Training | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| WASHINGTON — President Trump took to Twitter on Thursday morning to clarify his views on arming teachers to fight deadly school shootings, saying that he wants to give “concealed guns” to teachers who have “military or special training experience.” He also restated his policy agenda for school safety ahead of a meeting with state and local officials later in the day. | WASHINGTON — President Trump took to Twitter on Thursday morning to clarify his views on arming teachers to fight deadly school shootings, saying that he wants to give “concealed guns” to teachers who have “military or special training experience.” He also restated his policy agenda for school safety ahead of a meeting with state and local officials later in the day. |
| “A ‘gun free’ school is a magnet for bad people. ATTACKS WOULD END,” Mr. Trump said. | “A ‘gun free’ school is a magnet for bad people. ATTACKS WOULD END,” Mr. Trump said. |
| In a series of Twitter posts, Mr. Trump said he was clarifying news reports that said he wanted to arm teachers, a proposal that has been met with skepticism and rejection. The president also said he wants to improve background checks for firearms purchases, raise the age of people who are permitted to buy assault rifles to 21 from 18 and ban equipment that can turn a semiautomatic rifle into an automatic one. | In a series of Twitter posts, Mr. Trump said he was clarifying news reports that said he wanted to arm teachers, a proposal that has been met with skepticism and rejection. The president also said he wants to improve background checks for firearms purchases, raise the age of people who are permitted to buy assault rifles to 21 from 18 and ban equipment that can turn a semiautomatic rifle into an automatic one. |
| “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,” Mr. Trump said. | “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,” Mr. Trump said. |
| The president’s comments came a week after a gunman opened fire with an AR-15-style assault rifle at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., where he killed 17 people. The shooting revived the gun control debate, and high school students joined the lobbying efforts for new gun restrictions. | The president’s comments came a week after a gunman opened fire with an AR-15-style assault rifle at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., where he killed 17 people. The shooting revived the gun control debate, and high school students joined the lobbying efforts for new gun restrictions. |
| Mr. Trump, who campaigned with the support of the National Rifle Association and has been an advocate of gun rights, is facing resistance from the powerful lobbying group on raising the minimum age to purchase assault rifles. | Mr. Trump, who campaigned with the support of the National Rifle Association and has been an advocate of gun rights, is facing resistance from the powerful lobbying group on raising the minimum age to purchase assault rifles. |
| But he defended the N.R.A. in a tweet on Thursday and said it “will do the right thing.” | But he defended the N.R.A. in a tweet on Thursday and said it “will do the right thing.” |
| The head of the N.R.A., Wayne LaPierre, spoke publicly on Thursday for the first time since the Parkland shooting, and criticized Democrats calling for more gun control laws. | The head of the N.R.A., Wayne LaPierre, spoke publicly on Thursday for the first time since the Parkland shooting, and criticized Democrats calling for more gun control laws. |
| “Their goal is to eliminate the Second Amendment and our firearms freedoms so they can eradicate all individual freedoms,” Mr. LaPierre said, speaking at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference to an audience that typically bristles at the notion of restricting Second Amendment rights. | “Their goal is to eliminate the Second Amendment and our firearms freedoms so they can eradicate all individual freedoms,” Mr. LaPierre said, speaking at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference to an audience that typically bristles at the notion of restricting Second Amendment rights. |
| The president met on Wednesday with survivors of school shootings and family members of victims, and faced emotional pleas to do something to stop the violence. | The president met on Wednesday with survivors of school shootings and family members of victims, and faced emotional pleas to do something to stop the violence. |
| During the White House event on Wednesday, Mr. Trump offered his ideas, including arming teachers and other school employees. | During the White House event on Wednesday, Mr. Trump offered his ideas, including arming teachers and other school employees. |
| “It only works where you have people very adept at using firearms, of which you have many, and it would be teachers and coaches,” he said. | “It only works where you have people very adept at using firearms, of which you have many, and it would be teachers and coaches,” he said. |
| “The coach had a firearm in his locker when he ran at this guy — that coach was very brave. Saved a lot of lives, I suspect,” Mr. Trump said, apparently referring to Aaron Feis, a coach at Stoneman Douglas who survivors say died while shielding students from gunfire. "But if he had a firearm, he wouldn’t have had to run, he would have shot and that would have been the end of it.” | “The coach had a firearm in his locker when he ran at this guy — that coach was very brave. Saved a lot of lives, I suspect,” Mr. Trump said, apparently referring to Aaron Feis, a coach at Stoneman Douglas who survivors say died while shielding students from gunfire. "But if he had a firearm, he wouldn’t have had to run, he would have shot and that would have been the end of it.” |
| Arming teachers is not a new concept. The N.R.A. advocated for this in the wake of the 2012 mass shooting at an elementary school in Newtown, Conn., that left 20 children dead. | Arming teachers is not a new concept. The N.R.A. advocated for this in the wake of the 2012 mass shooting at an elementary school in Newtown, Conn., that left 20 children dead. |
| The president also expressed confidence that Congress would agree on and pass gun safety legislation, although it has been an impossible feat in recent years. | The president also expressed confidence that Congress would agree on and pass gun safety legislation, although it has been an impossible feat in recent years. |