--- title: Colbert Struggles to Accept Trump Is Coming for Your Guns description: “He’s being… reasonable?” Stephen Colbert asked in disbelief over Donald Trump’s gun control comments canonical: https://time.com/5180905/colbert-on-trump-gun-comments/ author: Melissa Locker article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2018-03-01T15:43:44.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:47:19.418Z og:title: Stephen Colbert Struggles to Accept Trump's Stance on Guns og:description: “He’s being… reasonable?” Colbert asked about Trump’s gun control comments og:url: https://time.com/5180905/colbert-on-trump-gun-comments/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt807ec6d51ece03ef/6989294786f68e2b816e874f/colbertontrumpgunstance.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1548 og:image:height: 871 og:image:alt: ColbertonTrumpGunStance og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Stephen Colbert Struggles to Accept Trump's Stance on Guns twitter:description: “He’s being… reasonable?” Colbert asked about Trump’s gun control comments twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt807ec6d51ece03ef/6989294786f68e2b816e874f/colbertontrumpgunstance.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # 'He's Being Reasonable?' Stephen Colbert Struggles to Accept Trump's Latest Stance on Guns > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME The Brief: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition The Brief is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. The day's top headlines, curated by TIME editors. The Brief brings TIME's perspective to the day's most important stories, helping readers understand not just what is happening, but why it matters. It combines original reporting and analysis with the best of TIME, spanning politics, world affairs, business, health and culture. 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Every edition is assembled by TIME editors rather than generated automatically. ## 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 [Melissa Locker](https://time.com/author/melissa-locker/) ## Melissa Locker Mar 1, 2018 3:43 PM UTC  by [Melissa Locker](https://time.com/author/melissa-locker/) ## Melissa Locker Mar 1, 2018 3:43 PM UTC President Donald Trump’s comments that [he is considering](http://time.com/5179995/donald-trump-nra-gun-control-comments/?xid=homepage) raising the minimum age to purchase guns, banning so-called [bump stocks](http://time.com/4970720/trump-bump-stocks-ban/), 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](http://time.com/5180537/gun-control-donald-trump-meeting/?xid=homepage). 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](http://time.com/5177243/stephen-colbert-trump-schools/) during the recent shooting. ## 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. Right. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5180905/colbert-on-trump-gun-comments/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5180905/colbert-on-trump-gun-comments/"},"headline":"'He's Being Reasonable?' 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