Trump against gun control despite Texas shooting, says 'Americans need arms to defend against evil'

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Texas shooting: Former US President Donald Trump on Friday rejected calls for gun control in the United States, that were specially raised by people in light of the recent Texas school shooting incident, that killed 19 children and two teachers, reported news agency AFP. Reiterating his stand against gun control, Trump said decent Americans should be allowed the firearms they need to defend themselves against "evil." 

"The existence of evil in our world is not a reason to disarm law-abiding citizens... The existence of evil is one of the very best reasons to arm law-abiding citizens," he told members of the National Rifle Association.

The NRA event took place in Houston, three days after the deadly incident in Texas elementary school. "The various gun control policies being pushed by the left would have done nothing to prevent the horror that took place. Absolutely nothing," Trump said.

"Push for increasing school security, not gun reform"

The former president called for increasing school security instead of focusing on gun reform. "If the United States has USD 40 billion to send to Ukraine, we should be able to do whatever it takes to keep our children safe at home," he said. "Even more repulsive is their rush to shift blame away from the villains who commit acts of mass violence and to place that blame onto the shoulders of millions of peaceful, law-abiding citizens who belong to organisations such as our wonderful NRA," he said while referring to gun reform advocates.

The existence of evil in our world is not a reason to disarm law-abiding citizens... The existence of evil is one of the very best reasons to arm law-abiding citizens

Also Read: Day after deadly shooting, another Texas student caught with rifle outside school

NRA's CEO and Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre said the group disagrees with US President Joe Biden's position on the law that grants US citizens to bear arms but is on the same page with him on other steps that can be taken to address gun violence.

Texas school horror

An 18-year-old gunman with a legally-bought AR-15-style rifle killed 19 children and two adults at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, on Tuesday, marking the deadliest school shooting in the state's history. The gunman was identified as Salvador Ramos. Ramos legally purchased two guns not long before the school attack: an AR-style rifle on May 17 and a second rifle on May 20. He had turned 18 just days earlier, permitting him to buy a rifle under federal law.

In the latest development, Texas authorities revealed that the gunman accused in the school shooting discussed his interest in buying a gun in private online conversations, but backed away from earlier descriptions that he made public threats less than an hour before the attack, reported news agency AP.

(Inputs from agencies)

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