President Donald Trump said Thursday that the leaders of the National Rifle Association are open to gun laws to help prevent school shootings.
Speaking with Florida state and local officials about the shooting last week at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., Trump expressed a desire to "toughen up" regulations. Saying he is a "believer" in the Second Amendment and touting his relationship with the NRA, Trump said its leaders have told him they want to tighten rules and regulations.
"I spoke to them [NRA leaders], and they're ready to do things. They want to do things," Trump said. "They're good people. They're patriots. They love this country."
"The NRA is ready to do things," he added.
Trump defended the organization from blame for mass shootings, noting the NRA developed a lot of the "rules and regulations that we have now." He added that, nevertheless, those who support the Second Amendment need be proactive in the wake of mass shootings.
"But I told them, we're going to have to toughen them up because it doesn't make anybody look good," Trump said of regulations that could prevent shootings. "And most importantly, I saw the devastation of these families. We can't allow that to happen."
During the session, the president also said he would like the sale of certain guns to be restricted to people 21 years of age or older, and he expects the NRA would agree. Previously, he expressed support for strengthening mental health treatment and background checks for gun purchases.
Trump went on to say that schools should become harder targets by no longer being gun-free zones. Stating clearly that he did not want all teachers to have guns, Trump said teachers with firearms experience should be able to have concealed weapons.
Using his chief of staff, retired four-star Gen. John Kelly, as an example, Trump said a small group of qualified, armed teachers would scare off potential shooters.
"He's a four-star marine. He's a tough cookie ... If he's a teacher, and other friends of his from the marines, if they're teaching or other people like that, I want them to have a gun," Trump said. "Nobody's going to attack that school because they know General Kelly is the history teacher."
"If you're going to continue with this nonsense about a gun-free zone—'gun-free,’ it sounds so good. It sounds so great. It is such a target for the killer," Trump said. "They look for gun-free zones because, believe it or not, they don't want to get killed."