President Donald Trump predicted the National Rifle Association will sign on to legislation he says will come together “very soon” to address increased background checks on firearms purchases, limits on gun ownership by the mentally ill and “perhaps” raising the minimum age for more sales to age 21.
“There’s no bigger champion than I am for the Second Amendment,” Trump said in an interview Saturday with Fox News’ Jeanine Pirro, in which he also restated his support for arming as many as 20 percent of teachers as a way to deter school shooters.
“I think you’re going to have tremendous support,” for a plan he said the White House is drawing up. Trump also suggested he favors a combination of new gun limits and “offensive” approaches such as the controversial call to arm teachers. “It’s time. I think the NRA’s going to be for it.”
Trump plans to convene lawmakers from both parties next week at the White House on the issue of school safety, following the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, that killed 17 students and staff. The NRA, a powerful lobby, has successfully pushed back approaches to ramp up gun regulation in Congress in the wake of massacres at schools in recent years.
“It’s time to get it done and get it done right,” the president said of gun legislation. “Somebody who’s mentally ill should not have a weapon, should not have a gun.”
The White House is considering the idea of using restraining orders to take firearms away from people considered dangerous as part of its response to last week’s massacre, two people familiar with the matter said.
Under extreme-risk protection orders, which are also known as red flag laws or gun violence restraining orders, firearms can be confiscated from people found to be at risk.
The White House is studying an Indiana version of the law, and is considering other measures as well, according to the people, who requested anonymity to discuss policy deliberations. Four other states also have such laws.
At the White House on Thursday, Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi described to Trump similar efforts underway in her state to allow law enforcement to seize firearms from someone who is deemed to be a danger to themselves or others.
"Good," Trump responded.
— With assistance by Jennifer Jacobs.
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