Did Donald Trump Just Do the Unexpected about Gun Control?

Gun Control Meeting-Donald Trump & Members of Congress

President Donald Trump did the unexpected again, contradicting long-standing Republican positions against gun control. Obviously, for many years, the Republican Party has supported the National Rifle Association (NRA)'s uncompromising resistance to any form of gun control or gun regulation. Speaking extemporaneously during a bipartisan meeting with members of Congress, Trump said these unexpected things:

• "We have a case where can you buy a handgun at 21. This isn’t a popular thing to say in terms of the NRA but I’m going to say it anyway. . . . People aren’t bringing it up because they’re afraid to bring it up. You can’t buy a handgun at 18, 19 or 20. You have to wait until you’re 21. You could buy the weapon used in this horrible shooting at 18. You are going to decide, the people in this room pretty much, are going to decide. I would give very serious thought to it. The NRA is opposed to it and I’m a fan of the NRA. No bigger fan. I’m a big fan of the NRA. These are great people. Great patriots. They love our country but that doesn’t mean we have to agree on everything. It doesn’t make sense that I have to wait till I’m 21 to get a handgun but I can get this weapon at 18. I don’t know." (I added the italics.)

With that statement, Mr. Trump frankly contradicted the NRA's position. He went a step further, suggesting that some kind of civil forfeiture should be used to take guns from dangerous people:

• ". . . take the firearms first and then go to court. Because that’s another system. A lot of times by the time you go to court, it takes so long to go to court, to get the due process procedures. I like taking the guns early. Like in this crazy man’s case that just took place in Florida. He had a lot of firearms. They saw everything. To go to court would have taken a long time. You could do exactly what you’re saying but take the guns first, go through due process second."

When Republican Senator Pat Toomey said that Congress didn't move on gun control legislation, Mr. Trump responded: "Do you know why? You’re afraid of the NRA." That made headlines!

Mr. Trump actually started his comments by advocating stronger defenses in schools such as security provisions, and more armed guards; he later endorsed dealing with mental health issues. These are standard conservative talking points. The difference is that Mr. Trump advocated these approaches plus gun control. He avoided the either/or position that most Democrats and Republicans have taken. In our hyper-partisan era, that was unexpected.

So, as I commented yesterday, Donald Trump says unexpected things for two reasons: (1) to keep his opponents off balance, and (2) to make sure that he is defining himself and his own positions. He does not, and never has, allowed anyone else to define his position or person.

"We want to get something done," Mr. Trump said during the meeting. Will something be done? Time will tell. What will be done? Time will tell.

Stay tuned: I will soon post about Mr. Trump's communication techniques during this meeting and how the press and public have reacted to his unexpected position.