While there is no question that the current administration is an improvement over recent White House occupants when it pertains to gun rights, there remains quite a bit of work to accomplish.
This week, Second Amendment advocates expressed alarm over President Donald Trump’s (R) comments following the recent shooting death of an armed protester in Minneapolis. Two ICE agents shot nurse Alex Pretti to death as he interacted with officers over his objections to their mission.
Many were surprised by the White House’s response to the fatal shooting of an armed protester
Asked about the tragic incident, the president’s answer surprised many gun rights supporters.
“You can’t have guns. You can’t walk in with guns,” Trump said. When asked a follow-up question about his assertion, the president repeated his stance.
Addressing Fox News, Trump doubled down on his objection to the nurse carrying a weapon at the protest. “I don’t like the fact that he was carrying a gun that was fully loaded, and he had two magazines with him,” the Republican explained. “That’s pretty unusual.”
Gun rights groups quickly responded to officials’ comments regarding the shooting
Pretti was carrying a 9mm Sig P320 when he was killed, and he had a valid Minnesota concealed carry permit. There were reports that he did not have identification on his person, but that hardly invalidated his Second Amendment rights.
And while the wisdom of Pretti’s actions can and will be vigorously debated, responses to his death by administration members were surprising. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem blasted his lawful carry as a bad idea.
“I don’t know of any peaceful protester that shows up with a gun and ammunition rather than a sign,” Noem told a press conference.
Meanwhile, U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli piled on, posting his stance on social media. “If you approach law enforcement with a gun, there is a high likelihood they will be legally justified in shooting you.”
The National Rifle Association, Gun Owners of America, and other gun rights stalwarts quickly blasted this position. The Second Amendment Foundation called such statements “an affront to the Second Amendment rights of all Americans.”
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