President Trump says he has spoken with lawmakers including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell about gun background check legislation, and McConnell is “totally onboard.” He also said he had a “great talk” with Democratic congressional leaders Sen. Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
But the president said he doesn’t think Congress needs to be called back into session, as a package will be ready by the time they’re slated to return.
Mr. Trump spoke with reporters as he departed the White House for fundraising events in New York before heading for a working vacation from his New Jersey club. The president has been pushing for stronger background checks after last weekend’s back-to-back mass shootings. He has been Trump speaks with NRA’s Wayne LaPierre as he weighs possible gun reforms to get his input, as well as a number of senators.
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The president also said he does not anticipate a disagreement on background checks with the NRA. And he has also been having conversations with senators he characterized as hardliners on the Second Amendment. No one, he said, wants guns in the hands of the wrong people. Mr. Trump believes there is “tremendous” support for common-sense background checks.
The president has said he doesn’t see the same support for banning assault weapons.
McConnell declined the calls of Democratic lawmakers to call the Senate back into session to act on gun measures, but he said Thursday that gun reforms would be “front and center” when Congress returns in September.
