President Trump is pleased with the positive news coverage surrounding his handling of the debate over gun reform,
President Trump Donald John TrumpAccuser says Trump should be afraid of the truth Woman behind pro-Trump Facebook page denies being influenced by Russians Shulkin says he has White House approval to root out ‘subversion’ at VA MORE is pleased with the positive news coverage surrounding his handling of the debate over gun reform, The Washington Post reported Saturday.
The newspaper reports that Trump’s feelings about how the news media covered his White House “listening session” with school shooting survivors and parents of victims last month is one of the few bright spots for an administration in turmoil.
Gun control has re-entered the national conversation after a high school shooting in Parkland, Fla. left 17 dead and survivors launched a national campaign against gun violence.
The news comes despite conservatives in the House backing away from the president after Trump’s comments on “due process” this week bewildered many pro-gun members of his party.
“President Trump can do more damage than President Obama did to the Second Amendment with the bully pulpit, because Republicans instinctively rejected anything Obama put forward,” libertarian Rep. Thomas Massie Thomas Harold MassieTrump promises ‘big week’ for infrastructure, eyes foreign aid Rand Paul revels in role of Senate troublemaker Winners and losers from the overnight shutdown MORE (R-Ky.) said this week.
During a televised meeting with lawmakers, Trump appeared to agree with Virginia Democratic Sen. Mark Warner Mark Robert WarnerLawmakers worry about rise of fake video technology Mueller indictment reveals sophisticated Russian manipulation effort GOP cautious, Dems strident in reaction to new indictments MORE, who called for stronger background checks before gun purchases.
“You have a different president now,” Trump told the senator. “You went through a lot of presidents and you didn’t get it done. You have a different president. And I think, maybe, you have a different attitude, too. I think people want to get it done.”
White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders clarified the remarks, stating that Trump supported improvements to the system but not necessarily universal background checks.
“He wants to see what that legislation, the final piece of it looks like,” she told reporters at the White House. “Universal means something different to a lot of people. He certainly wants to focus and improve on the background check system.”
Earlier this week, Trump also faced criticism on social media after meeting with members of the National Rifle Association at the White House.
Sanders told reporters that the president promised the NRA “only that he’ll continue to support the Second Amendment.”
Trump tweeted Thursday that he had a “Good (Great) meeting in the Oval Office tonight with the NRA!”
