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As it happenedended

Trump news: President says US is ‘taking our signature back' from UN Arms Trade Treaty, claiming guns 'make our communities safer'

President vows to revoke US involvement in the international reforms effort

Chris Riotta
New York
,Joe Sommerlad
Friday 26 April 2019 16:11 EDT
Comments
NRA crowd boos media after Trump calls them 'fake' at annual meeting

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Donald Trump railed against "radical left-wing" 2020 hopefuls and praised members of the National Rifle Association during a speech hosted by the guns right's group Friday.

"Far-left radicals in Congress want to take away your voice, your jobs, your rights," the president said. "And they especially want to take away your guns." He went on to slam the press as "fake news" and vowed to protect the Second Amendment in the US.

Mr Trump also called in to Sean Hannity’s Fox News show on Thursday evening to accuse the Democrats and Obama-era Justice Department of orchestrating a “coup” against him and Hillary Clinton of allowing thousands of private messages to be leaked and “destroying the lives” of his campaign staff. The chairmen of the House Oversight, Judiciary and Homeland Security committees have meanwhile launched a joint investigation into the departures of Kirstjen Nielsen, Randolph Alles and other officials earlier this month as a potential threat to national security.

With pro-gun legislation largely stalled in Congress, Mr Trump also revealed Friday he was withdrawing the US from an international agreement on the arms trade, calling it “badly misguided.”

He made the announcement as he vowed to fight for gun rights and implored members of the nation’s largest pro-gun group — struggling to maintain its influence — to rally behind his re-election bid.

“It’s under assault,” he said of the constitutional right to bear arms. “But not while we’re here.”

Mr Trump said he would be revoking the United States’ status as a signatory of the UN Arms Trade Treaty, which regulates international trade in conventional weapons, from small arms to battle tanks, combat aircraft and warships.

Former President Barack Obama signed the pact in 2013 but it has never been ratified by US lawmakers.

“Under my administration, we will never surrender American sovereignty to anyone," Mr Trump said, before signing a document on stage asking the Senate to halt the ratification process. “We will never allow foreign diplomats to trample on your Second Amendment freedom.”

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Additional reporting by AP. Please allow a moment for our liveblog to load

Here’s video of Mike Pence speaking before Donald Trump at the NRA forum: 

Chris Riotta26 April 2019 18:05

Donald Trump also celebrated Republican efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act, saying Friday, “Now we’re going for the rest.” 

Chris Riotta26 April 2019 18:09

Donald Trump is now back, talking about the French terror attacks and complaining about the country’s strict gun laws. 

He said it could have “very well been a whole different result” if there were people with guns there to shoot back at the coordinated assassinators. 

Chris Riotta26 April 2019 18:12

“Gun owners make our communities safer, and our nation stronger,” Donald Trump says. 

Chris Riotta26 April 2019 18:15

Donald Trump is now thanking NRA officials and concluding his speech, once again referring to its members as "patriots" and vowing to defend the Second Amendment.

Chris Riotta26 April 2019 18:17

The president is now clapping on stage and smiling for pictures, as a chorus sings "You Can't Always Get What You Want."

Chris Riotta26 April 2019 18:20

Here’s video of Donald Trump from the NRA forum saying “we worship God” in the US: 

Chris Riotta26 April 2019 18:30

Religion was a big theme in Donald Trump’s speech at the NRA forum today. 

Here he praises NRA members, saying, “Every day, you stand up for our God-given rights — without exception, without fail and without apology.”

Chris Riotta26 April 2019 18:45

Here’s another video of Donald Trump attacking 2020 Democrats and “far-left radicals” he says are trying to “take away your guns” during his NRA forum speech: 

Chris Riotta26 April 2019 19:00

Donald Trump refuted reporting earlier today in comments that may have gone somewhat unnoticed compared to his other bombastic statements Friday. 

Here’s video of the president denying the reports below: 

Chris Riotta26 April 2019 19:17

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