Trump Tweets He 'Will Be Strongly Pushing' For These New Gun Policies

As the debate over gun control continues to rage, President Trump’s position on guns and combatting gun violence is becoming clearer by the day. During a listening session with victims of the Parkland, Florida attack, their families, and families affected by past school shootings, President Trump endorsed the idea of arming teachers after they had received specialized training. The president doubled down on the position Thursday morning, sending out a barrage of tweets regarding his policy position.

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President Trump’s willingness to arm teachers, however, doesn’t have unanimous support. He faces opposition from those on both the left and the right.

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During CNN’s town hall with survivors of the Parkland, Florida shooting Wednesday night, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL), and Rep. Ted Deutch (FL-22) were asked whether or not they supported arming teachers. A teacher from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School directly questioned Sen. Rubio about his position on the issue.

Sen. Rubio’s answer: “I don’t support that, and I would admit to you right now I answer that as much as a father as I do as a senator. The notion that my kids are going to school with teachers that are armed with a weapon is not something that, quite frankly, I’m comfortable with.”

Following his tweets on arming school teachers, the president reiterated some of his other policy positions. As Tom previously reported, President Trump has thrown his support behind the Fix NICS legislation that would aim to close holes in the National Instant Background Check System. He has also voiced his support for focusing on mental health and stopping the sale of bump stocks. But during his morning tweetstorm, President Trump also revealed a new policy position; he “will be strongly pushing” for raising the age of eligibility to purchase a rifle from 18 to 21.

President Trump’s position has support on both sides of the political aisle, as Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) is set to introduce the legislation, and Sen. Rubio endorsed the idea during CNN’s town hall event. Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) is another Republican who has voiced his support for the measure.

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Though President Trump and a bipartisan group of senators are making this push, they are facing opposition from the NRA. The NRA released its statement on the idea saying, “Legislative proposals that prevent law-abiding adults aged 18-20 years old from acquiring rifles and shotguns effectively prohibits them for purchasing any firearm, thus depriving them of their constitutional right to self-protection.”

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