President Donald Trump’s comments that he is considering raising the minimum age to purchase guns, banning so-called bump stocks, and encouraging a bill that would expand background checks shocked the NRA, conservative groups, and Stephen Colbert.
On Wednesday night’s episode of The Late Show, Colbert struggled with Trump’s change of heart. “I have no explanation for what happened this afternoon,” Stephen Colbert said of Trump’s meeting with lawmakers about potential gun legislation.
Colbert was particularly taken aback by Trump’s comments about the NRA, though. “They have great power over you people,” the president told Republicans at a press conference. “They have less power over me. What do I need?” Colbert had an answer for that one, at least: “Uh, a conscience, a shred of dignity and I’m gonna say like a salad once in a while.”
Colbert was stunned by Trump’s comments to Republicans that they will “never” get a comprehensive gun bill passed, if they try to add concealed carry reciprocity to it. “He’s being… reasonable?” Colbert asked in disbelief.
While Colbert was flummoxed by Trump’s statements, he was happy to hear that Trump was thinking about some way to resolve the nation’s gun epidemic. “We need to find any solution that does not involve an imaginary Donald Trump stopping an attack with karate,” he joked, referring to Trump’s statement that he would have run into the high school in Parkland, Florida during the recent shooting.
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