President Trump has privately directed White House aides to look into what he might be able to do via executive action on guns in Congress is not able to reach a bipartisan solution, the New York Times reported.
It’s one of several options the President has been mulling behind-the-scenes in recent days, since the two shooting massacres over the weekend that left more than 30 people dead. Trump’s reportedly been in contact with National Rifle Association head Wayne LaPierre, who has already indicated publicly that he wouldn’t support any legislation that “unfairly infringes” on gun owner’s right. According to the Times, in the call, Trump was testing whether the NRA’s “clout in blocking gun legislation is ebbing.”
Trump’s also been in communication with close allies as well as political opponents — including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) — about the odds of Congress being able to pass some form of bipartisan background check legislation. Schumer and Pelosi want to bring the Senate back in session to vote on a bill that already passed the House.
Read the full report here.
