President Joe Biden argued the Second Amendment is not aimed at allowing Americans to protect themselves from the government Wednesday, saying citizens would need F-15s and nuclear bombs to fight against the U.S. military.
Biden made the comments at the White House while unveiling various policies aimed at cutting down on gun crime across the U.S. Violent crime has been on a steady rise in recent years and specifically in 2020, a trend the new administration has quickly blamed on gun violence.
“The Second Amendment from the day it was passed limited the type of people who could own a gun and what type of weapon you could own. You couldn’t buy a cannon,” Biden said. (RELATED: After Largely Avoiding The Topic Since Taking Office, Biden Plans To Address Nationwide Rise In Violence)
“Those who say the blood of patriots, you know, and all the stuff about how we’re gonna have to move against the government,” he continued. “Well, the tree of liberty has not been watered with the blood of patriots. What’s happened is that there have never been — if you want to, think you need to have weapons to take on the government, you need F-15s and maybe some nuclear weapons.”
BIDEN: “Those who say the blood of Patriots, you know, and all the stuff about how we’re gonna have to move against the government.”
“If you think you need to have weapons to take on the government, you need F-15s and maybe some nuclear weapons.”pic.twitter.com/WVHUffpphP
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) June 23, 2021
“The point is that there has always been the ability to limit, rationally limit, the type of weapon that can be owned and who can own it,” Biden finished.
Biden announced policies alongside Attorney General Merrick Garland aimed at punishing vendors who sell guns to those legally prevented from owning them, granting cities greater authority to prevent guns purchased in other jurisdictions from being brought within their limits and other measures.
The administration also pushed for increased efforts to provide jobs and mentors to low-income communities in an effort to decrease crime.