President Donald Trump used Twitter Thursday morning to call “fake news” on the gun safety town hall CNN held in the wake of the Parkland, Florida school shooting.
One of the most surprising parts of Wednesday’s event came when Sen. Marco Rubio shot down the idea that the way to stop school shootings is to arm teachers, an idea proffered by the White House both at a listening session with shooting survivors that occurred earlier on Wednesday and at Tuesday’s White House press briefing.
WATCH — Crowd Boos Rubio At CNN’s Gun Safety Town Hall:
Thursday morning, POTUS argued his words had been twisted.
I never said “give teachers guns” like was stated on Fake News @CNN & @NBC. What I said was to look at the possibility of giving “concealed guns to gun adept teachers with military or special training experience – only the best. 20% of teachers, a lot, would now be able to
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 22, 2018
“I never said ‘give teachers guns’ like was stated on Fake News CNN & NBC,” Trump tweeted. “What I said was to look at the possibility of giving ‘concealed guns to gun adept teachers with military or special training experience – only the best.”
“20% of teachers, a lot, would now be able to immediately fire back if a savage sicko came to a school with bad intentions,” he continued in a second tweet. “Highly trained teachers would also serve as a deterrent to the cowards that do this. Far more assets at much less cost than guards.”
“A ‘gun free’ school is a magnet for bad people. ATTACKS WOULD END!”
….immediately fire back if a savage sicko came to a school with bad intentions. Highly trained teachers would also serve as a deterrent to the cowards that do this. Far more assets at much less cost than guards. A “gun free” school is a magnet for bad people. ATTACKS WOULD END!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 22, 2018
Trump further claimed that “school shooting lasts, on average, 3 minutes.”
“It takes police & first responders approximately 5 to 8 minutes to get to site of crime,” POTUS continued. “Highly trained, gun adept, teachers/coaches would solve the problem instantly, before police arrive. GREAT DETERRENT!”
….History shows that a school shooting lasts, on average, 3 minutes. It takes police & first responders approximately 5 to 8 minutes to get to site of crime. Highly trained, gun adept, teachers/coaches would solve the problem instantly, before police arrive. GREAT DETERRENT!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 22, 2018