President Donald Trump said he would have gone into Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School during the school shooting earlier this month even if he didn’t have a gun.
Trump made the remarks while speaking with governors on Monday as reports continue to come out that an armed deputy on duty at the school did not enter the building during the attack.
The president called the lack of action “disgusting” before pivoting toward guessing how he would have acted if he were there.
“I really believe I’d run in there even if I didn’t have a weapon,” he told the 39 governors in attendance.
The president also said officers in Parkland, Florida “weren’t exactly Medal of Honor winners.”
During his speech, Trump also said that he would act on so-called “bump stocks,” which he said last week that he instructed Attorney General Jeff Sessions to ban.
“Bump stocks” make it easier to make certain guns fire rounds more quickly. Calls for their ban grew louder after the shooting in Las Vegas, Nevada late last year.
The president’s hypothetical idea of running into the school during a shooting was quickly mocked—with people bringing up his Vietnam War record and posting GIFs of various times Trump looked scared.
Donald Trump: He would have rushed Stoneman Douglas during the shooting; it was “disgusting” officer assigned to the school didn’t go in.
— Darrel Rowland (@darreldrowland) February 26, 2018
“I really believe I would have,” he said. “You never know until you’re tested."
Quick, who's gonna be first to bring up his draft deferment?
BREAKING: DC area man with five draft deferments who mocked tortured war hero John McCain for being captured says he believes he would confront an active shooter—with an AR-15 assault weapon—unarmed. https://t.co/UDQvhLlJGC
— Brian Klaas (@brianklaas) February 26, 2018
"I really believe I'd run in there even if I didn't have a weapon." ~ Trump
— Chet Powell 🌊🍑⚖️🇺🇸 (@ChetPowell) February 26, 2018
Pardon me, but bull-fucking-shit!#Parkland #StonemanDouglas #DraftDodgerInChief pic.twitter.com/qmGAJNMQj9
But if it weren't for the bone spurs.
— Melvin Toaster (@Melvintoaster) February 26, 2018
Mr. Trump slammed reports that deputies who were on the scene of the shooting did not enter Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
"I really believe I'd run in there even if I didn't have a weapon," Mr Trump said.
Trump just laughably declared he’d have run into Marjory Stoneman Douglas HS and taken out the killer. I’m thinking not. pic.twitter.com/vzyHsDtloZ
— @jeffpawlinski (@JeffPawlinski) February 26, 2018
https://twitter.com/wlfpack81/status/968167986916884485
https://twitter.com/TomNamako/status/968157971841736704
Trump also revealed during his speech that he’d had lunch with NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre recently.