A Donald Trump and Mike Pence “weekly newsletter” laments the horror of the Parkland school shooting that killed 17 people, then ends with a “contribute” button so people can give money ... to Trump and Pence.
The newsletter, paid for by “Donald J. Trump for President Inc,” was emailed Friday to supporters.
The first Trump tout in the newsletter, headlined “President Trump — Week 57: Safer Schools,” said that the president and first lady Melania Trump “visited with victims and first responders following the shooting and met incredible people they will never forget.” The piece is accompanied by a photo of Trump and the first lady at the hospital bedside of a Parkland shooting survivor wrapped in bandages.
The message adds: “The President is now engaging in an important national conversation about school safety and ways to prevent any future attacks. President Trump is taking steps towards banning gun bump stocks and strengthening background checks for gun purchasers. The President has made his intent very clear: ‘making our schools and our children safer will be our top priority.’”
Other stories note Trump handing out medals of valor to law enforcement officers, his infrastructure plan and a “confidence boom” among small businesses.
The newsletter ends with a red “CONTRIBUTE” link as well as a link to “VISIT OUR STORE.”
Despite Trump’s proposed plan to strengthen background checks for gun purchases, he and Congress rolled back tougher checks on people with mental illnesses who purchase guns a year ago. The Obama-era regulation would have barred guns to people receiving Social Security checks for mental illnesses.
The suspected shooter at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Nikolas Cruz, was reportedly treated for mental illness.
Trump’s proposed budget also cuts funds for the background checks system by millions of dollars.
Survivors aren’t likely to see the aftermath of their tragedy as something to tout in a fundraising newsletter. Students and parents of the school have slammed Trump, other politicians and the National Rifle Association for lack of action on stricter gun control to avert future tragedies.
Parkland mom Lori Alhadeff, screamed at Trump on a CNN video to “do something” the day her 14-year-old daughter, Alyssa, was killed. “You can stop the guns from getting into these children’s hands,” she cried.
Teachers have slammed the president’s recommendation that 20 percent of teachers be armed in schools so they could shoot it out with attackers.
