Trump Attends NRA Annual Meeting, Opposes Stricter Gun Control While Advocating for Safe Schools
"Gun ownership must be allowed to defend oneself from evil," he says
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is giving a speech at a Republican event held in Commerce, Georgia, on the 26th (local time). [Image source=Yonhap News]
[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Nayeon] Amid growing public opinion for gun control following a mass shooting at an elementary school in Texas, former President Donald Trump made claims advocating for the allowance of gun possession.
According to the BBC on the 27th (local time), Trump attended and gave a speech at the National Rifle Association (NRA) annual meeting held in Houston, Texas.
On this day, Trump said, "We spent trillions of dollars in Iraq and Afghanistan but gained nothing," adding, "Before helping to rebuild other countries, we must first build safe schools for our children in our own country." He continued, "If the United States spent the billions of dollars budgeted for Ukraine on building safe schools instead, we could do everything necessary to protect our children."
Trump's remarks targeted the recent mass shooting incident at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas. However, the 'building safe schools' Trump refers to notably excludes stronger gun control measures, which is expected to spark further controversy.
Furthermore, reports indicate that regarding the Uvalde elementary school mass shooting, where a total of 21 people including 19 children lost their lives, Trump stated that "gun possession must be allowed so that we can defend ourselves from evil."
He also proposed mandatory installation of metal detectors at school gates and the deployment of one armed police officer as measures to prevent school shootings, which the BBC reports has drawn criticism from many parents and progressive voters who desire stronger gun control.
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