President Trump reportedly told NRA chief Wayne LaPierre that he no longer supported additional background check legislation.
The comments, which were reported by the Atlantic on Tuesday, provide a stark contrast from statements the president made in the aftermath of two mass shootings that left over 30 people dead in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio.
“He was cementing his stance that we already have background checks and that he’s not waffling on this anymore,” a person familiar with Trump and LaPierre’s conversation said. “He doesn’t want to pursue it.” Trump also said that he wanted to “increase funding” for mental healthcare.
The president’s decision to rule out background checks is at odds with statements he made earlier this month.
“On background checks, we have tremendous support for really common sense, sensible, important background checks,” Trump told reporters on the White House lawn on Aug. 9.
In tweets earlier that day, Trump said that “serious discussions” were taking place between “House and Senate leadership on meaningful Background Checks,” but added that “the NRA, and others,” will have “their very strong views” be “fully represented and respected.”
Serious discussions are taking place between House and Senate leadership on meaningful Background Checks. I have also been speaking to the NRA, and others, so that their very strong views can be fully represented and respected. Guns should not be placed in the hands of…..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 9, 2019
The president began walking back those remarks about background checks over the weekend.
“You go into buy a gun, you have to sign up,” the president stated. “There are a lot of background checks that have been approved over the years. So, I’ll have to see what it is, but Congress is meeting bipartisan. A lot of people want to see what happens. But just remember this, big mental problem, and we do have a lot of background checks right now.”
