Trump Retreats From Supporting Gun Background Checks, Focuses On Mental Health Issues

In the wake of two deadly mass shootings that left more than 30 people dead, legislators have been calling for increased gun control measures. On Sunday, President Donald Trump said “we do have a lot of background checks right now.”

He told reporters, “It’s the people that pull the trigger, not the gun that pulls the trigger so we have a very, very big mental health problem and Congress is working on various things and I will be looking at it.”

After the two shootings in Dayton, Ohio and El Paso, Texas, Trump was quick to say mental health was the main factor, but agreed that there should be background checks in place to stop certain people from buying guns.

Trump shifted his focus from background checks after meeting with officials from the National Rifle Association. On Sunday, he stated he was worried “about the Second Amendment.”

In February, the House of Representatives passed a universal background check bill, but it has yet to be scheduled for a vote in the Republican-controlled Senate.

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During a radio interview, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell expressed his support for “Red Flag” laws and that he would put forth the issue of background checks in the Senate. Democrats wanted McConnell to end the Senate’s August recess early but he refused, and said that they would discuss gun control legislation when they return in September. 

Article by Benjamin Wuersch