Trump slammed for saying guns are needed for 'entertainment' when asked about school shootings

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Donald Trump’s latest remarks on gun control left many people stunned, especially those directly impacted by school shootings.

During a town hall hosted by Univision, the former president was asked by audience member Jesus Gonzalez, 33, to explain his stance on gun control to the parents of school shooting victims. Trump’s response didn’t sit well with many.

Donald Trump stands firm on Second Amendment amid criticism over gun policy remarks

When asked about his gun policy, Donald Trump didn’t hold back on his pro-gun stance and highlighted the importance of the Second Amendment.

“We have a Second Amendment and right to bear arms, essentially,” he said. “And I’m very strongly an advocate of that — I think you need that. I think that if you ever tried to get rid of it, you wouldn’t be able to do it. You wouldn’t be able to take away the guns, because people need that for security. They need it for entertainment, and for sport and other things — but they also, in many cases, need it for protection.”

Trump's remark that guns are needed "for entertainment" instantly drew criticism, particularly as he was speaking to parents who have lost children to school gun violence.

However, he didn’t back down from his stance. The former president insisted that if more “good people” had guns, crime would be lower. He said, “You want to have a lot of good people have [guns]. But if we didn’t have that, you would see a crime rate that’s crazy.”

Trump's comments appear to contradict clear evidence. Research from the Center for Gun Violence Solutions at Johns Hopkins University indicates that states with more lenient gun laws, particularly in the Southern and Mountain West regions, experience higher gun violence death rates.

Donald Trump diverts from school shootings to attack Kamala Harris over gun control

While one would expect Donald Trump to expand on the topic of school shootings after such a pointed question, he didn’t go there. Instead, he quickly pivoted to attacking Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee.

“She wants to take everybody’s gun away, you know she’s always wanted that,” Trump alleged. 

“That’s because, uh, that’s what she wants. She wants to take everybody’s gun. You know who will never give their guns up? The bad guy. The bad guy’s not giving up the guns. So that’s what we have. We want safety, we want security, but you have to still adhere to the Second Amendment," he added.

However, Harris has been very outspoken on the matter. In a recent debate, she stated that both she and her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, are gun owners and have no plans to disarm law-abiding citizens, HuffPost reported.

Donald Trump slammed on social media for his comments

It didn’t take long for Donald Trump’s comments to make waves on social media. The idea that guns are necessary “for entertainment” didn’t sit well with a lot of people, especially those who have been directly affected by gun violence.

"That's his answer? Entertainment...sport...that's what shooting kids in classrooms is to him?" one posted on X.

"Well, as long as people are having fun," a second user wrote.

"Wow, thanks Trump! Because what every school needs is more guns. I mean, who needs pencils and books when you can have pistols and AKs? And let's not forget, guns are perfect for entertainment! Nothing says 'fun' like the risk of accidental discharge," another chimed in.

"Our kids dying in school is not entertainment. Ban assault weapons now!" read a comment.

"That's such a callous response. Immigrants have been the targets of Trump-inspired terrorists, like the El Paso Walmart shooting. Any parent should be appalled by this dismissive response," someone else offered.

"This is the man that wants to lead our democracy. Too many guns and not enough books. Tfg is an ignorant, insensitive, narcissistic, a bigot, and a thief…did I say ignorant? America, 70% of us know how we got here. We need to speak up. What happened to 'we hold these truths to be self-evident'. The Founding Fathers never imagined a man this ignorant and a charlatan. Jesus, Joseph AND Mary!" another user fumed. [sic]

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