Ben Shapiro Declares Support for Background Checks on Gun Sales in Piers Morgan Exchange on Texas Shooting

Daily Wire founder Ben Shapiro said he is in favor of background checks on gun sales in an exchange with Piers Morgan on Twitter.

Reacting to the Uvalde, Texas elementary school shooting this week that left 19 children dead, Morgan took to Twitter to ask why Americans would be against “universal background checks.”

“Two questions,” the Fox Nation host wrote. “1) 91% of Americans support universal background checks – do you? If not, why not? 2) The most recent two massacres were committed by 18yr-olds who legally bought their guns but can’t buy a beer until they’re 21 – do you think that’s right?”

Shapiro answered by endorsing background checks, though not full universal government checks, as well as 18-year-olds being able to legally buy beer, which they currently can’t do until they’re 21, despite being able to vote and join the military at 18.

“It depends on how you define universal background checks; when it comes to FFLs running background checks on those who buy, I’m in favor. This is in line with most Americans,” Shapiro tweeted in response to Morgan’s first question, referencing Federal Firearms Licenses, which consist of a variety of licenses for individuals and businesses to sell and manufacture firearms.

“18-year-olds are considered adults in the US and should be able to vote and buy beer,” he added in regards to the second question posed by Morgan.

1. It depends on how you define universal background checks; when it comes to FFLs running background checks on those who buy, I’m in favor. This is in line with most Americans.
2. 18-year-olds are considered adults in the US and should be able to vote and buy beer. https://t.co/wVFEokEdyE

— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) May 25, 2022

In other tweets reacting to the shooting, Shapiro accused gun control advocates of pushing for “total gun confiscation” in their proposals.

“The only solution the Left truly believes will work is total gun confiscation. They refuse to argue on behalf of that. So instead, they simply use phrases like “common sense gun reform,” and then refuse to specify what such reform would be or how it would stop mass shootings,” he tweeted.

Not one of the “common sense gun reform” proposals the Left proposes would stop shootings like Uvalde. They know this. So instead, they make absurd claims suggesting that the mere fact of action of any type will magically reduce shootings (see, e.g., Sen. Murphy).

— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) May 25, 2022

Shapiro has criticized government-mandated and run universal background checks on firearm sales in the past, but has also pushed for other actions to be taken to curb gun violence, such as gun violence restraining orders — allowing guns to be taken from someone considered a danger to themselves and others — as well as increased security at schools.

Shapiro and Morgan have been debating gun rights all the way back to a heated exchange they had on the issue on CNN in 2013 when they discussed the issue in the wake of the Sandy Hook shooting.

New: The Mediaite One-Sheet "Newsletter of Newsletters"
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!