Trump considers gun age limit, orders bump-stock ban
US President Donald Trump is considering raising the minimum age for purchasing certain firearms and has also signed an order to ban “bump-stock” devices, which enable a rifle to shoot hundreds of rounds a minute.
Axios reported Wednesday that Trump “told associates” on Tuesday that “he doesn’t think high school kids should be able to buy guns, and is open to the idea of imposing a minimum purchase age of 21 for guns like those used in the Florida high school massacre.”
The president has also directed US Attorney General Jeff Sessions to craft new regulations to ban firearm modifiers including the “bump stock” used in the Las Vegas massacre, amid bipartisan calls to strengthen gun laws in the wake of recent shooting rampages.
Bump-stocks are devices that allow semi-automatic weapons to be modified to shoot hundreds of rounds per minute and almost become automatic firearms -- which are banned for civilian usage.
During an event at the White House, Trump announced that he has signed a memo ordering the regulations on bump stocks and told Sessions he wants new federal guidelines finalized “very soon.”
He also signaled support for additional changes to gun legislation, tweeting Tuesday evening, “Whether we are Republican or Democrat, we must now focus on strengthening Background Checks!”
Whether we are Republican or Democrat, we must now focus on strengthening Background Checks!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 21, 2018
“I can tell you the president supports not having the use of bump stocks and that we expect further action on that in the coming days,” White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said Tuesday.
“My understanding is that review has been completed and movement will take place on that shortly,” Sanders further elaborated.
The gun debate in the US has once again caught headlines after a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, in the US state of Florida, left 17 people dead and 14 others injured.
The mass shooting at the Florida high school was the 18th shooting at a school since the beginning of 2018, that is, one shooting every 60 hours.
There has been over 6,500 shooting incidents across the US so far, leading to the death of over 1,820 people and injuring more than 3,100 others.
The Axios news website believes the Parkland deaths and the constant coverage of the tragedy that Trump has been consuming via cable TV has inflamed his instincts to act, even if it contradicts his pro-gun campaign strategy. Also, Trump's “closeness to the NRA gives him the political leeway to act, and would give him the bipartisan love he craves.”
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