Donald Trump said on Wednesday that there was not enough political support to ban the sale of assault rifles used in three shootings that plunged the United States into less than a fortnight.
More control for people with mental disorders
The US president, however, said he supports the adoption of a law that would prevent people with mental disorders to acquire weapons. "It's important to check the background, I do not want to put weapons in the hands of mentally unstable people, or rabid people, or hate people, sick people, I'm completely for such legislation," he said. told reporters in Washington, before leaving on the scene of two shootings that killed 31 people this weekend.
Two young shooters, within 13 hours of each other, killed 22 people in El Paso, Texas, and nine in Dayton, Ohio. Prior to the killings, another man killed three people in Gilroy, California, on July 28. All three were armed with assault rifles that were easily accessible in the United States.
Nearly two-thirds of Americans in favor of banning
Asked about his willingness to ban these weapons, Donald Trump dismissed this perspective. "I can tell you that there is no political appetite for doing so for now," he said. "I can only do what I can, I think there is a great appetite for doing something to make sure that unstable and mentally ill people do not have guns. have never seen an appetite as strong as it is now, "said Donald Trump.
Assault rifles have been used in the deadliest shootings of the last decade. After each killing, support for their ban - as was the case from 1994 to 2004 - rises but polls fluctuate. In May, 63% of respondents were in favor of banning their sale, according to a Quinnipiac survey.