Giffords Reacts to President Trump’s Policy Response to Parkland Shooting

March 11, 2018 – Today, Giffords, the gun violence prevention group founded by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and Captain Mark Kelly, released the following reaction to President Trump’s announced support of specific policies in response to the mass shooting in Parkland, Florida.

Peter Ambler, Giffords Executive Director:

“With anger growing at Donald Trump and other gun lobby backed politicians for failing to keep kids and communities safe, the White House is in desperation mode. They realize they can’t ignore the brave calls for action from students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, and others across the country, any longer. But we have two Donald Trumps: the one who publicly embraced safer gun laws at the White House, and then the one who distances himself from those statements through spokespeople after being scolded by the NRA. Betsy DeVos, who suggested in her confirmation that teachers needed to arm themselves because of the threat of grizzly bears, would be a laughable choice to lead the commission, except for the fact that the commission itself is merely a vehicle for the NRA’s delay and ignore strategy. Further, the policies that Trump has said he will support range from insane, in the case of arming teachers, to inadequate, in the case of the proposal to “harden” schools, which is a attempt to treat the symptoms of the gun violence epidemic when we must address the true problem with safer gun laws.”

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