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White House offers tepid endorsement of some gun control measures

Trump asked friends at his golf club what they thought.

Photo of David Covucci

David Covucci

donald trump

The president went to Trump International Golf Course today in Florida just days after a mass shooting an hour away in Parkland killed 17. But while he was on his way there, his press office issued a mild endorsement of gun control legislation.

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“The President spoke to Senator [John] Cornyn on Friday about the bi-partisan bill he and Sen. [Chris] Murphy introduced to improve Federal Compliance with Criminal Background check Legislation. While discussions are ongoing and revisions are being considered, the President is supportive of efforts to improve the Federal background check system.”

Murphy has been a staunch gun control advocate ever since the Sandy Hook massacre occurred in his home state of Connecticut.

The bill was introduced in November 2017 and would offer grants to encourage states to report offenses to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, which would keep firearms out of the hands of people who are barred by law from owning them.

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The bill was introduced in the wake of the shooting in Sutherland Springs, Texas, where a man opened fire in a church, killing 26. It was later revealed the man should have been barred from purchasing a gun after a domestic violence conviction, but it was never reported by the Air Force.

The Washington Post reports that while he was at Mar-a-Lago, Trump polled some of his friends on what he should do about gun control.

The president also surveyed Mar-a-Lago Club members about whether he ought to champion gun control measures in the wake of last week’s school massacre in nearby Parkland, telling them that he was closely monitoring the media appearances by some of the surviving students, according to people who spoke with him there.

Trump returns to Washington this evening.

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