The White House said Tuesday that President Biden does not support a Canadian-style ban on the sale of handguns after a series of mass shootings last month, the latest example from members of the White House. administration that should clarify the comments of their boss.
“We will let other countries establish their arms ownership policy,” Jean-Pierre said during his regular briefing. “The president has made his position clear: the United States must act. As I have just stated, he supports the ban on the sale of assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, and the expansion of background checks to keep weapons out of dangerous hands.
“He does not support the ban on the sale of all guns, in response to your question,” added Fox News’ press secretary Peter Doocy, who had asked him, “Canada is making it impossible to buy, sell, transfer, or import guns anywhere in this country. Would President Biden ever consider a similar restriction on handguns here? “
The White House has said President Biden does not support a Canadian-style ban on the sale of handguns. Drew Angerer / Getty Images “We will let other countries set their own arms ownership policy,” Karine Jean-Pierre said during her regular session. briefing.AP Photo / Susan Walsh
A day earlier, Biden seemed to be suggesting that there should be restrictions on the 9mm pistol, the most popular weapon in the US.
“They said a .22 caliber bullet would be lodged in the lungs and we could probably get it out. Maybe we could get it and save our lives,” the president told reporters outside the White House on Monday after visiting the site. a mass shooting in Texas the day before. “A 9mm bullet ejects the lung from the body.
“So the idea of these high-caliber weapons is, eh, there’s just no rational basis for thinking about self-protection, hunting,” Biden added, hinting that the pistol is a ‘high caliber’ despite not being. characterized as such by most weapons experts.
At the same time, Biden admitted that he could not take radical enforcement action to resolve armed violence, saying: “I cannot dictate these things. I can do the things I have done and whatever executive action I can take, I will continue to take. But I cannot “Banning a gun. I can’t, you know, change background checks. I can’t do that.”
Any gun reform legislation is facing a sharp rise for approval in Congress, especially in the uniformly divided Senate.
Last week, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) Said Republicans are open to reforms that address “directly” the facts of the mass shooting in Texas, which authorities say was committed by Salvador Ramos, 18, with a legal law. bought an AR-15 style semi-automatic rifle.
Biden promised to meet with Congress on potential legislation Tuesday.
Any weapons reform legislation is facing a sharp rise for approval in Congress. REUTERS / Callaghan O’Hare Gun control advocates hold a vigil outside the NRA headquarters after the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School on May 25, 2022 in Fairfax, Virginia. Kevin Dietsch / Getty Images
The White House clarification came on the same day as an NBC News report that Biden has been frustrated with his advisers who have clarified or rejected several statements he has made, usually related to foreign policy.
The White House has denied the allegations, and Undersecretary of the Press Andrew Bates told The Post that “clarifications on the president’s statements are never issued without his direct approval.”
Bates did not address the implications in his statement that Biden had been disturbed by the statements he approved, further undermining the president.