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New gun legislation has Trump fighting with NRA

After two mass shootings in early August, one in El Paso and one in Dayton, President Trump vowed to work with the National Rifle Association on strengthening background checks for people buying guns. He also said the country needed to focus on addressing “mental health.” But now, Trump is reportedly feuding with the NRA after the gun-rights group leaked details of Trump’s discussion with NRA president Wayne LaPierre.

“I’m looking to do background checks,” Trump said a few days after the shootings. “I think background checks are important. I don’t want to put guns into the hands of mentally unstable people, or people with rage or hate, sick people–I’m all in favor of it.”

However, after several conversations with the NRA, Trump seemed to back away from his support for background checks and so-called “red flag” laws, which allows individuals to petition a judge to take someone’s guns away.

“People don’t realize, we have very strong background checks right now,” Trump said, allegedly after meeting with LaPierre. “You go in to buy a gun, you have to sign up. There are a lot of background checks that have been approved over the years, so I’ll have to see what it is.”

Sources at the NRA hinted to the media that they were responsible for Trump’s reversal on background checks.

An anonymous White House official told the Daily Beast that the NRA’s decision to leak details of private conversations to the press was seen as a “d–k move,” and angered the President.