A Tennessee college student set the web ablaze over the weekend with a photo taken in a pro-Trump shirt exposing her concealed carry firearm.
Future University of Tennessee, Chattanooga, graduate Brenna Spencer, 22, posted a photo on Twitter Saturday lifting up her “Women for Trump” shirt to expose a pistol tucked into her waistband.
“I don’t take normal graduation photos…” Spencer captioned the pic.
I don’t take normal college graduation photos… pic.twitter.com/eI1NvLFYHs
— Brenna Spencer (@BrennaSpencer) April 7, 2018
The photo, labeled “provocative” by ABC News, generated numerous responses from Twitter users, some of whom accused her of breaking the law.
I’m 100% pro gun but brandishing a firearm for a photo shoot or showing it off to try and look cool is just stupid. They are tools. Why brag about carrying a gun?
— Reed (@osellr) April 8, 2018
Another person claimed she violated gun laws because the museum where she posed prohibits firearms inside.
You hope your sons find a criminal to spend forever with? And a dumb criminal at that? This is a picture of her blatantly breaking the law. Concealed carry is illegal on those museum grounds. You’re providing photo evidence against yourself….this is so dumb it hurts.
— Kit. (@KitMeowxwell) April 8, 2018
Spencer, a Communication major who graduates in May with a minor in Political Science, explained she never entered the facility.
“I know the Tennessee state gun codes,” she said in an interview.
“I carry everywhere that I’m allowed to carry.”
Spencer remarked she was surprised at the volume of backlash she received over the photo.
“I did think that it would get a little attention but not to this degree,” she told ABC. “It was really, really surprising to see the amount of hate that I got.”
ABC News says they reached out to the Chattanooga Police Department to see if Spencer had violated any laws, but did not hear back.
Even some supporters criticized her lack of a weapon holster, to which Spencer replied a “belly band” is being worn, just not visible in the photo.
I do! I have a belly band on it’s just not seen in the photo!
— Brenna Spencer (@BrennaSpencer) April 8, 2018
Spencer says she owns several other guns, and currently works for Turning Point USA, a conservative non-profit group.
The Emergency Election Sale is now live! Get 30% to 60% off our most popular products today!