The National Rifle Association on Wednesday announced that the group would be happy to meet with Donald Trump, after he said he would talk to the gun rights group about not allowing people on the terror watch list and no fly list to buy guns.
Happy to meet @realdonaldtrump. Our position is no guns for terrorists—period. Due process & right to self-defense for law-abiding Americans
— NRA (@NRA) June 15, 2016
In a Wednesday afternoon statement, Chris Cox, the executive director of the NRA’s lobbying arm, confirmed that the group is willing to meet with Trump and indicated that the NRA is still opposed to legislation barring people on terror watch lists outright from buying firearms.
“The NRA’s position on this issue has not changed. The NRA believes that terrorists should not be allowed to purchase or possess firearms, period,” Cox said. “Anyone on a terror watchlist who tries to buy a gun should be thoroughly investigated by the FBI and the sale delayed while the investigation is ongoing. If an investigation uncovers evidence of terrorist activity or involvement, the government should be allowed to immediately go to court, block the sale, and arrest the terrorist.”
“At the same time, due process protections should be put in place that allow law-abiding Americans who are wrongly put on a watchlist to be removed,” he added.
Just one day earlier, the NRA published a tweet indicating that the gun group does not support banning people on watch lists from buying guns.
Restrictions like bans on gun purchases by people on “watch lists” are ineffective, unconstitutional, or both https://t.co/MQfbYnTDAE
— NRA (@NRA) June 14, 2016
Earlier on Wednesday, Trump published a tweet saying that he would like to meet with the NRA about keeping those on the no fly list from buying guns.
I will be meeting with the NRA, who has endorsed me, about not allowing people on the terrorist watch list, or the no fly list, to buy guns.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 15, 2016
The deadly mass shooting in Orlando, Florida, has renewed calls from lawmakers — mainly Democrats — to keep people on the no fly list from buying guns. The suspected Orlando shooter, Omar Mateen, was not under FBI investigation at the time of the attack, but he had been interviewed in the past.
The NRA has opposed similar legislation in the past, arguing the no-fly list is too imprecise.
