The Trump administration is rolling out a newly outlined school safety plan on Monday, which critics immediately noticed is devoid of those gun control measures the president mentioned in the wake of the Florida school shooting. While Trump had initially advocated for simple, common sense reform such as universal background checks and raising the purchase age to 21, a subsequent meeting with the NRA had him changing his tune.
“I had a great meeting tonight with [Trump and Pence],” tweeted Chris Cox, executive director of the NRA on March 1. “We all want safe schools, mental health reform and to keep guns away from dangerous people. POTUS & VPOTUS support the Second Amendment, support strong due process and don’t want gun control.” Just an hour later, Trump echoed Cox’s sentiments in his own tweet: “Good (Great) meeting in the Oval Office tonight with the NRA!”
Without any evidence that he actually plans to move forward with it, the president tweeted that “strong improvement and strengthening of background checks will be fully backed by White House.” Echoing Education Secretary Betsy DeVos on the Today show earlier Monday, he added that he was “watching court cases and rulings before acting” on raising the age limit.
“Things are moving rapidly on this, but not much political support (to put it mildly),” he also erroneously claimed.
Very strong improvement and strengthening of background checks will be fully backed by White House. Legislation moving forward. Bump Stocks will soon be out. Highly trained expert teachers will be allowed to conceal carry, subject to State Law. Armed guards OK, deterrent!…….
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 12, 2018
….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
An hour later, Trump resumed tweeting — no doubt enjoying some well-earned executive time — repeating his questionable claims that gun free zones in schools act as an “open invitation” to those looking to do harm.
If schools are mandated to be gun free zones, violence and danger are given an open invitation to enter. Almost all school shootings are in gun free zones. Cowards will only go where there is no deterrent!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 12, 2018
So far, neither Trump nor DeVos have provided an explanation as to how a teacher conceal-carrying a small handgun could possibly be a match for an 18-year-old student who legally obtained a semi-automatic assault rifle, so we’ll have to assume that’s just one of those kinks DeVos plans on working out.