14-02-2025
Democrats react to Trump closing Office of Gun Violence Prevention
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – Friday marks seven years since the tragic Parkland School shooting at a time when Democrats worry President Trump is rolling back policies that curb gun violence, but the Trump administration says they're taking steps to protect 2nd Amendment rights and combat gun crime.
The Biden White House had an Office of Gun Violence Prevention, however President Trump took steps to eliminate that office. Democrats say that was a mistake.
Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) claims the office was making meaningful progress to bring down homicide rates.
'The minute that Donald Trump was sworn in that office vanished, that office vanished. Because the gun lobby is back in charge of the White House,' Murphy said.
Senator Murphy and Congressman Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.) have introduced a bill to re-establish the office.
'It wasn't a political office about Democrats versus Republicans. It was about the people versus the problem,' Frost said.
With Republicans in control of the White House and Congress their legislation faces an uphill battle.
'Maybe, maybe under the right circumstances, we can get a handful of our colleagues to move, but more likely we're going to be able to have a public conversation.' Murphy said.
A White House official told Nexstar that the Office of Gun Violence Prevention didn't actually do anything to combat gun crime.
John Commerford, Executive Director of the NRA Institute for Legislative Action, agrees with that.
'It's not focused on actually dealing with criminals and putting criminals behind bars. It's focused on quote on quote solutions that would only impact law-abiding gun owners,' Commerford said.
He argues the new administration is doing the opposite, pointing out that President Trump signed an executive order directing his attorney general to protect and expand 2nd Amendment rights.
'It's an excellent start to restore the rights of gun owners that were trampled on by the Biden Administration,' Commerford said.
Gun control advocates see the actions differently.
'We should be safe and have the truest freedom of all: the freedom to live without getting shot,' Frost said.
Commerford says the Trump White House is using better strategies to fight crime and put violent people in jail.
'So, law abiding citizens are safer out there. But the answer is never to restrict the rights of the law abiding who just want to provide for their own self-defense and provide for the protection of their families,' Commerford said.
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