--- title: Donald Trump Breaks With NRA in Latest Gun Control Comments description: President Donald Trump took a moderate tone on gun control, telling Congress that they should not be afraid to defy the NRA. canonical: https://time.com/5179995/donald-trump-nra-gun-control-comments/ author: Alana Abramson article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2018-02-28T22:51:49.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-12T09:00:56.545Z article:section: Politics og:title: President Trump's Latest Comments on Gun Control Defy the NRA og:description: "Take the guns first" og:url: https://time.com/5179995/donald-trump-nra-gun-control-comments/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt71b797af617faa7f/6989293d929fadc0f7befc74/gettyimages-925579626.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 3000 og:image:height: 1688 og:image:alt: President Trump Holds Meeting With Bipartisan Congress Members To Discuss School Safety og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: President Trump's Latest Comments on Gun Control Defy the NRA twitter:description: "Take the guns first" twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt71b797af617faa7f/6989293d929fadc0f7befc74/gettyimages-925579626.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # 'Take the Guns First.' President Trump's Latest Comments on Gun Control Defy the NRA > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: September 2026. ## TIME D.C. Brief: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition D.C. Brief is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington. D.C. Brief goes beyond the Washington headlines to explain the politics, personalities and power dynamics shaping what happens next. Senior correspondent Philip Elliott brings sharp context to the issues driving the capital, connecting the decisions made in Washington to the institutions, industries and people they affect. 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It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, twice a week. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=67eb6ced-49de-4dd6-9a04-c49863dea8e9&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1) ## Video: President Trump Discusses Gun Control Reforms With Congress Members [Watch (HLS stream): President Trump Discusses Gun Control Reforms With Congress Members](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/zO5Fa8SC.m3u8) (1:52)  _Published 2018-02-28. President Trump met with a bipartisan group of Senators and Representatives to discuss various ideas to curb gun violence._  by [Alana Abramson](https://time.com/author/alana-abramson/)  ## Alana Abramson Feb 28, 2018 10:51 PM UTC  by [Alana Abramson](https://time.com/author/alana-abramson/)  ## Alana Abramson Feb 28, 2018 10:51 PM UTC In a publicly televised meeting with lawmakers Wednesday, President Donald Trump took a moderate tone on gun control, telling members of Congress that they should not be afraid to defy the National Rifle Association in passing a comprehensive school safety package. At one point, Trump urged taking guns away from anyone who could be considered dangerous, even before they have to he opportunity to defend themselves in court. “Take the guns first, go through due process second,” he said. The president’s remarks about the NRA and seizing guns were dramatically different from the tone he struck at the [Conservative Political Action conference](http://time.com/5170679/nra-wayne-lapierre-cpac-speech-donald-trump/) last Friday, where he spent most of the time [talking about arming teachers](http://time.com/5172616/donald-trump-cpac-arming-teachers/). During that speech, he barely mentioned strengthening background checks and did not mention his desire to implement a ban on bump stocks or raise the age limit to purchase a weapon. In his meeting Wednesday, Trump encouraged lawmakers to pass a comprehensive bill that would expand background checks and raise the age limit for purchasing weapons to 21\. The NRA has said it opposes raising the age limit for buying guns. He told Republicans not to incorporate legislation that passed in the House of Representatives last year that would expand provisions for carrying concealed firearms because it would never pass. He also said lawmakers should not bother including a [ban on bump stocks](http://time.com/4970720/trump-bump-stocks-ban/) — accessories that dramatically increase semi-automatic weapons’ potential rate of fire — because he would enact a ban through Executive Order. In regards to strengthening background checks, Trump specifically urged that lawmakers merge two ideas: the bipartisan proposal from Senators Pat Toomey and Joe Manchin, which expands background checks on gun sales and the Fix NICS Act, which would hold federal agencies accountable for failing to upload relevant records for background checks. Some of the proposals Trump advocated on Wednesday directly conflict with the views of the NRA, a point Trump seized on. He acknowledged the influence of the NRA, agreeing with other lawmakers who had said their colleagues were gripped by the tentacles of the gun lobby. But Trump said he was not susceptible to those influences, despite the fact that the organization spent $30 million backing his candidacy. Although he hailed the NRA as “good people” and “patriots,” he told lawmkers: “They have great power over you people. They have less power over me. What do I need?” At one point, he asked Sens. Toomey and Manchin if they had addressed raising the age limit for buying certain weapons in their proposal. When Toomey said they didn’t address it, Trump replied, “You know why? Because you’re afraid of the NRA.” ## Transcript We continue to mourn the lose of so many precious young lives in [ UNKNOWN ] We are determined to turn our grieve into action, I really believe that, I think that the people of the state have wanted and I see some folks don't nice things about me and that's okay because is you turn that into this energy. I love you. I don't care. Mr. President it's gonna have to be you that brings the Republicans to the table on this, because right now, the gun lobby would stop it in it's tracks. I like that responsbility, Chris, I really do. I think it's time that a President stepped up. And we haven't had them and I'm talking Democrat and Republican presidents. They have not stepped up. We can do that with an executive order. I'm gonna write the bump stock, essentially write it out. So you won't have to worry about bump stock. Shortly that'll be gone. It doesn't make sense that I have to wait until I'm 21 to a handgun but I can get this weapon at 18. I don't know. So I was just curious as to what you did in your bill. You don't address it. We didn't address it, Mr. President. You know why, because you're afraid of the NRA, right? [ LAUGH ] If you look at the concealed carry population, these are people by and large who are helping us stop crimes, these are people who are well trained, who actually go out there and help prevent crimes. So, hope that that's not immediately dismissed because there is a lot of talk of Just putting that on the side. Just view it like this. You know I'm your biggest fan in the whole world, right. I know. I think that maybe that bill will someday pass, but it should pass as a separate. If you're gonna put concealed carry between states into this bill we're talking about a whole new ball game. And You know, I'm with you but let it be a separate bill. All right, I understand that. You'll never get this passed. If you add concealed carry to this, you'll never get it passed. One of your other ideas that are being talked about [ UNKNOWN ] I don't think, again, you'll never get it passed. So we want to get something done. 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