US President Donald Trump says there should be “intelligent background checks” on gun purchases in response to the recent mass shootings in the country.
“Frankly, we need intelligent background checks,” Trump told reporters on Friday at the White House after two shootings in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio, have sparked renewed calls for the US Congress to pass legislation to prevent gun violence.
On Thursday, the director of the National Rifle Association (NRA), Wayne LaPierre, rejected calls for tougher restrictions on firearms.
“I can confirm that the NRA opposes any legislation that unfairly infringes upon the rights of law-abiding citizens. The inconvenient truth is this: the proposals being discussed by many would not have prevented the horrific tragedies in El Paso and Dayton.”
Trump, however, suggested Friday that he could convince the NRA, a frequent donor to Republican politicians, to stop opposing gun restrictions in the wake of the shootings.
“I think, in the end, Wayne and the NRA will either be there or maybe will be a little bit more neutral and that would be OK, too,” Trump said. “You know, it’s a slippery slope. They think you approve one thing and that leads to a lot of bad things. I don’t agree with that. I think we can do meaningful, very meaningful background checks. I want to see it happen.”
The president also tweeted that he was talking to congressional leaders about “meaningful” background checks, but did not say what specific measures he would support.
….mentally ill or deranged people. I am the biggest Second Amendment person there is, but we all must work together for the good and safety of our Country. Common sense things can be done that are good for everyone!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 9, 2019
On Thursday, more than 200 mayors urged the US Senate to approve legislation, already passed by the lower House of Representatives, that would require background checks for all gun purchases and regulate secondary sales.
US Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell rejected calls on Thursday for reconvening the Senate, which is currently in its August recess, to vote on measures to address gun violence.
Last year, Amnesty International warned that the gun violence situation in the US has grown into a full blown “human rights crisis” and the Trump administration was doing little to solve it.
According to Amnesty, an average of 106 individuals died a day from firearm-related incidents in 2016, totaling 38,658. Of that figure, nearly 23,000 were suicides and more than 14,400 were homicides.