White House previews bump stocks ban
After last week's high school shooting in Parkland, Florida left 17 dead, the White House said it may be open to banning devices that make guns function like automatic weapons during the White House briefing Tuesday afternoon. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) had completed its review of bump stocks, devices that make semi-automatic guns fire like automatic guns. But Sanders warned that there's no easy way to prevent school shootings.
"Unfortunately when horrific tragedies like this happen, people want a quick and a simple answer," Sanders said, adding that the administration's solution to violent gun attacks is complex issue. Asked about Mr. Trump's view on an assault weapons ban, Sanders said we "haven't closed the door on any front."
In the coming days, Mr. Trump will open the dialogue surrounding gun regulation by meeting with local, state, and federal officials as well as students, parents and teachers affected by gun violence. Included in this meeting will be some of those affected by the Parkland, Columbine, and Sandy Hook shootings.
"The victims and families have constantly been in our thoughts and prayers," Sanders said.
Sanders also said that the president "has expressed his support for efforts to improve the federal background check system" in order to make it more accurate and efficient when evaluating if someone is a candidate for gun ownership.
Immediately following the briefing, Mr. Trump announced that he does not support bump stocks, or devices that attach to semiautomatic guns in order to make them automatic, and that his administration is proposing a ban on the gun accessory.
"The president doesn't support the use of those accessories," Sanders said in the briefing.
A recent poll found that more Americans are calling for action on gun control. The Washington Post- ABC News poll found that more than 6 in 10 Americans say Mr. Trump and Congress are not doing enough to prevent mass shootings.