President Trump on Thursday called a deadly shooting at Florida State University (FSU) “terrible,” but he dismissed the possibility of it spurring any changes to gun laws in the country.
“Look, I’m a big advocate of the Second Amendment. I have been from the beginning. I’ve protected it, and these things are terrible,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office when asked if there was anything he saw wrong with gun laws in the wake of the shooting.
“But the gun doesn’t do the shooting, the people do,” Trump continued. “It’s, you know, a phrase that’s used probably too often. I will tell you that it’s a shame. I’m just hearing about it now.”
Trump said he would have more to say later about the shooting once additional information had been released, adding that he knew the area well.
At least two people were killed and six others were hospitalized after a gunman opened fire at Florida State University in Tallahassee, authorities said. The suspected gunman is in custody, and authorities said the individual is the son of a Leon County, Fla., Sheriff’s Office deputy.
Trump, dating back to his first term, has repeatedly pledged to supporters that he would protect their Second Amendment gun rights. He has spoken at numerous National Rifle Association events over the years.
While Trump convened lawmakers to look at gun laws following a school shooting in 2018, Congress ultimately did not pass gun legislation.