Fox News host Bill O’Reilly on Tuesday night expressed support for restrictions on Americans’ ability to purchase high-powered firearms and on the ability for people on terror watch lists to buy weapons.
“There is too much gun crime in the USA, and high powered weaponry is too easy to get. That’s the fact. So let’s deal with it,” O’Reilly said on his Fox News show.
The Fox host said that Republicans, who are typically wary of restricting gun sales, need to step up and enact new gun laws.
“We all have the right to bear arms, but we don’t have the right to buy and maintain mortars,” he said.
“Therefore, Congress should debate what kind of weapons should be available for public sale. And the states, the individual states should decide what kind of carry laws are good for their own people,” he continued. “New laws are definitely needed in the age of terrorism and mass murder. The FBI and other federal agencies need the power to stop suspected terrorists or other evildoers from buying weapons.”
O’Reilly also suggested that gun dealers be “required to report the sale of certain kinds of guns, heavy weapons, directly to the FBI.”
His comments follow similar remarks from his fellow Fox News personality, Gretchen Carlson, on Tuesday afternoon.
“Do we need AR-15s to hunt and kill deer?” she asked on her show. “Do we need them to protect our families? Yes, I’m in favor of people being able to carry. I think some of these mass shootings would have been less deadly if that were the case. But I’m also with the majority today taking a stand. Can’t we hold true the sanctity of the Second Amendment while still having common sense?”
Donald Trump also appears to be open to keeping people on terror watch lists from buying firearms, announcing Wednesday that he will meet with the National Rifle Association about the issue.
