President Donald Trump used known National Rifle Association talking points during a White House school safety discussion Thursday, saying he’d like schools to be as safe as banks.
“I want my schools protected just like I want my banks protected,” Trump told state and local officials, according to a press pool report.
The president spoke to authorities who gathered at the White House to discuss how to best protect schools following the deadly mass shooting in Parkland, Florida, last week.
The president’s comment seemed to echo the same remarks delivered by the NRA’s Wayne LaPierre during a appearance at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) that morning.
“Our banks, our airports, our NBA games, our NFL games, our office buildings, our movie stars, our politicians — they’re all more protected than our children at school,” LaPierre said during the annual conference Thursday, according to Politico.
In 2012, soon after the Sandy Hook Shooting, which left 20 children and six adults dead, LaPierre told reporters: “We care about our money, so we protect our banks with armed guards.”
The Trump administration has been under intense scrutiny since the south Florida shooting, which left 17 students dead and sparked a nationwide movement for better gun safety laws. Survivors of the Parkland shooting have been garnering national attention and millions of dollars in donations form celebrities like George Clooney, Steven Spielberg and Oprah Winfrey in recent days.
Trump defended the NRA Thursday, telling reporters “The NRA is ready to do things.”
“People like to blame them,” the president added.
On Thursday, NRA spokesman Dana Loesch blamed the media for capitalizing on mass shootings, telling an audience at CPAC that the “legacy media” is trying to capitalize on mass shootings.
“I’ll say it really slowly so all the people on the platform in the back can hear me loud and clear: Many in legacy media love mass shootings,” Loesch said. “You guys love it. I’m not saying that you love the tragedy, but I am saying that you love the ratings. Crying white mothers are ratings gold to you and many in the legacy media in the back.”