In a televised address to the nation Monday, President Donald Trump said he is open to any ideas that will help end mass shootings like the ones in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio which took place over the weekend.
Trump said that both parties successfully worked together in the past to curb gun violence – and they can do so again:
“I am open and ready to listen and discuss all ideas that will actually work and make a very big difference.
“Republicans and Democrats have proven that we can join together in a bipartisan fashion to address this plague. Last year, we enacted the Stop School Violence and Fix NICS Acts into law, providing grants to improve school safety and strengthen critical background checks for firearm purchases. At my direction, the Department of Justice banned bump stocks. Last year, we prosecuted a record number of firearms offenses.”
It’s time to put partisanship aside and “answer hatred with unity, devotion and love,” Trump said, expressing confidence that Americans will choose to come together to address the plague of mass shootings:
“But, there is so much more that we have to do. Now is the time to set destructive, partisanship aside – so destructive – and find the courage to answer hatred with unity, devotion and love.”
“Our future in in our control. America will rise to the challenge. We will always have, and we will always will, win. The choice is ours and ours alone.”