WASHINGTON, Jan. 3 (UPI) — Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump had strong words for President Barack Obama’s plans for executive action on gun control, saying when he’s elected president he will “veto” or “unsign” those actions “so fast.”
Obama is set to meet with Attorney General Loretta Lynch on Monday to finalize executive actions on gun control to be released in the coming weeks, including a measure that will reportedly expand background checks on gun sales.
“I don’t like it,” Trump told CBS’s Face the Nation. “I don’t like anything having to do with changing our Second Amendment. We have plenty of rules and regulations.”
Numerous news outlets are reporting the expanded background checks may involve requiring licensing for a broader range of small-scale gun sellers, narrowing weapons availability through the so-called gun show loophole. The president is expected to use his executive authority on several other areas, but the actions are not yet complete.
The orders could come as soon as next week, when Obama returns from vacation in Hawaii, or ahead of his annual State of the Union address on Jan. 12.
Trump said there are multiple options that could be taken to prevent mass shootings apart from gun control, particularly in the area of America’s “tremendous mental health problem.”
“There’s plenty of things that they can do right now that are already there. They don’t do them,” Trump added. “All they want to do is blame the guns, and it’s not the gun that pulls the trigger, so I don’t like it. I don’t like what he is doing.”
At a campaign rally on Saturday in Biloxi, Miss., Trump said he would veto Obama’s actions on guns of elected as president.
“The Second Amendment, it’s so great to me,” Trump said. “We’re not changing the Second Amendment. I will veto that. I will unsign that so fast.”
The White House would not comment on the timing or content of Obama’s executive actions except to say it will happen at the beginning of the year. Obama addressed the issue in his weekly radio address.
“A few months ago, I directed my team at the White House to look into any new actions I can take to help reduce gun violence,” Obama said. “And on Monday, I’ll meet with our Attorney General, Loretta Lynch, to discuss our options.”
