President Joe Biden has reiterated his appeal to Congress to enact legislation banning assault rifles, emphasizing the need for robust gun control measures in the wake of a recent incident involving former President Donald Trump.
On Saturday, a shooting occurred during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania, where a bullet grazed Trump’s ear, fortunate to avoid serious injury.
The incident has sparked renewed calls for gun control reform.
Biden told a convention audience in Las Vegas, “An AR-15 was used in the shooting of Donald Trump.
This was the assault weapon that killed so many others, including children. It’s time to outlaw them.”
This demand comes as Biden returns to the campaign trail for the first time since the attack, halting verbal attacks, television advertisements, and emphasizing a message of unity.
However, he also delivered a speech at the NAACP convention, a prominent civil rights organization, in which he criticized President Trump’s policies and actions. “Just because our politics are very divided doesn’t mean we should stop telling the truth. Who you are, what you’ve done, what you will do – that’s fair game,” he said.
Gun rights are an issue Biden has frequently campaigned on. In 1994, he played a key role in passing an assault weapons ban that lapsed in 2004. He referred to that legislation in his speech, stating, “I’ve done it before, I’ll do it again.”
In 2022, during his inaugural term, President Biden enacted the most substantial gun safety legislation in over 20 years, incorporating enhanced background checks for gun purchasers and additional protective measures. However, he has repeatedly faced strong opposition from Republicans to an assault weapons ban.
The president resumed campaigning as the Republican National Convention (RNC) wrapped up its second day on Tuesday. Speakers, including former presidential nominees Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis, strongly rallied behind Trump.
In a related development, Iran has denies plotting Trump’s assassination.