Trump Now Attacking ‘RINOs’ For Gun Bill That Falls Far Short of Gun Control He Called For in 2018

Former President Donald Trump blasted Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Texas Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) on Wednesday for their support of a bipartisan gun reform bill that falls far short of measures Trump himself hyped in 2018.

“The deal on ‘Gun Control’ currently being structured and pushed in the Senate by the Radical Left Democrats, with the help of Mitch McConnell, RINO Senator John Cornyn of Texas, and others, will go down in history as the first step in the movement to TAKE YOUR GUNS AWAY,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social social media platform Wednesday.

“Republicans, be careful what you wish for!!!” he warned.

Trump’s criticism of Cornyn and McConnell, who are supporting a very limited bill, is a far cry from comments Trump made in February 2018 after the high school shooting in Parkland, Florida that killed 17 people.

“I like taking the guns early, like in this crazy man’s case that just took place in Florida … to go to court would have taken a long time,” Trump said at a meeting with lawmakers.

“Take the guns first, go through due process second,” Trump said in response to comments from Vice President Mike Pence who suggested strengthening red flag laws so local authorities and families have better tools to report potentially dangerous people.

“Allow due process so no one’s rights are trampled, but the ability to go to court, obtain an order, and then collect not only the firearms but any weapons,” Pence said, according to the comments reported at the time by the Hill.

“Or, Mike, take the firearms first, and then go to court,” Trump shot back.

CBS This Morning ran a segment on the meeting and noted, “President Trump also reiterated his support for raising the age limit to purchase some weapons.”

“It doesn’t make sense that I have to wait till I’m 21 to get a handgun, but I can get this weapon at 18. I don’t know. So I’m just curious as to what you did in your bill,” Trump said to Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA).

Toomey took the hardline GOP position on assault weapons and replied, “My reservation about it, frankly, is that the vast majority of 18, 19, and 20-year-olds in Pennsylvania who have a rifle or a shotgun, they’re not a threat to anyone.”

Trump also hit the National Rifle Association at the meeting.

“I think you underestimate the power of the gun lobby,” says Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT).

“They have great power over you people. They have less power over me,” Trump shot back, acknowledging his willingness at the time to defy them.

The Senate agreed to take up the gun reform bill in a 64 to 34 vote Wednesday, with 14 Republican Senators voting in support.

The legislation increases funding for “school safety, mental health, state crisis intervention programs and incentives for states to include juvenile records in the National Instant Criminal Background Check System,” according to CNN’s read of the bill.

The legislation would also inventive states to create red flag laws to remove guns from those who intend to harm others or themselves.

The key component of the legislation is that it broadens the ability of officials to conduct comprehensive background checks for gun buyers between the ages of 18 and 21 – the demographic responsible for many of the recent mass shootings.

Trump also called for red flag laws in 2019 after mass shootings resulted in the murder of 31 people in El Paso and Dayton in one weekend.

“We must make sure that those judged to pose a grave risk to public safety do not have access to firearms and that, if they do, those firearms can be taken by rapid due process,” Trump said at the time. “That is why I have called for red flag laws, also known as extreme risk protection orders.”

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