President Trump is determined to push for stricter gun control legislation in the wake of the Florida shooting, according to reports that have concerned gun owners and conservatives.
Axios reports that Trump has “told associates that he doesn’t think high school kids should be able to buy guns, and is open to the idea of imposing a minimum purchase age of 21 for guns like those used in the Florida high school massacre.”
While the report states that the talk is “relatively loose and open-ended so far,” and that no firm decisions have been made, the President tweeted out the following call for politicians on both sides of the aisle to back stronger background checks for gun owners:
Whether we are Republican or Democrat, we must now focus on strengthening Background Checks!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 21, 2018
The White House also released a memo Tuesday that indicates Trump has directed the Justice Department to draw up legislation to ban firearm modifiers including the “bump stock” used in the Las Vegas massacre.
Trump wrote in the memo, “Although the Obama administration repeatedly concluded that particular bump stock type devices were lawful to purchase and possess, I sought further clarification of the law restricting fully automatic machineguns.”
Fox News reports that a DOJ official has confirmed that the department is acting “quickly” on the president’s order.
“The department understands this is a priority for the president and has acted quickly to move through the rulemaking process,” spokesman Sarah Isgur Flores said. “We look forward to the results of that process as soon as it is duly completed.”
The Washington Post has also reported that Trump has “signaled an openness to modest gun-control measures following what he called an ‘evil massacre’” in Florida.
“In private, he has indicated that he might do more,” the report states, “telling advisers and friends in recent days that he is determined to push for some sort of gun-control legislation.”
Some reports have suggested that Trump may look to impose a ban on the sale of firearms in private.
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