Trump Promises Gun Rights Protection at Pennsylvania NRA Event

In the bustling city of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, a large crowd gathered last week to celebrate the Second Amendment and to hear from former President Trump at the NRA’s Great American Outdoor Show.

“Every single Biden attack on gun owners and manufacturers will be terminated on my very first week back in office, perhaps my first day,” Trump declared to an enthusiastic crowd at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex & Expo Center.

The NRA Presidential Forum, headlined by Trump, focused on the protection of the Second Amendment in this key battleground state. This marks the eighth time Trump has addressed NRA members, his speeches dating back to 2015. The Great American Outdoor Show, hosted by the NRA, is recognized as the world’s largest outdoor show, boasting over 1,000 exhibitors across 650,000 square feet of exhibit space during its nine-day run.

Trump made a promise to his supporters, stating that if he is reelected, “no one will lay a finger on your firearms.”

“I will uphold those glorious words: ‘shall not be infringed.’”

These comments come in the wake of President Biden and Vice President Harris’s repeated pledges to “take on the NRA” and ban what they refer to as assault weapons. Over the past three years, the president has signed numerous executive actions related to gun control, as well as the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. The NRA did not support this act, citing its broad language and failure to address violent crimes.

Pennsylvania Republican Rep. Guy Reschenthaler spoke to Fox News Digital before Trump’s speech, expressing his belief that Democrats “don’t understand these platforms” of gun control and are aiming for “total government control.”

“The Democrats when they … openly now say that they want to take your AR, and we have candidates in Texas saying that Joe Biden has said that we don’t need the right to have these weapons,” he said. “They don’t understand these platforms, but at the root, they want to have total government control. And they don’t think individuals should have the right to carry, should have the right to have firearms. So, we have to always be focused on the Second Amendment and fighting to preserve our rights.”

Trump secured Pennsylvania in the 2016 election, but not in 2020. Pennsylvania Republican Rep. Scott Perry anticipates that Trump will make several visits to the state before Election Day 2024, noting the significant role gun owners will play in Trump’s potential victory.

“The president, I think, is going to spend a lot of time in Pennsylvania. It’s a battleground state. He needs to win Pennsylvania to win the rest of the country. He can win it. He’s won in the past, and we’re going to welcome him. … There’s a lot of gun owners in Pennsylvania, we understand where our rights come from and what protects them. So, it’s important to us,” Perry said in an interview.

Pennsylvania’s state Constitution states: “The right of the citizens to bear arms in defense of themselves and the State shall not be questioned.” Perry emphasized that in Pennsylvania, “We believe in the constitution.”

“The foundation of much of what was done during the Revolutionary War happened in Pennsylvania,” Perry said. “So, the Constitution, but more importantly what’s in it, is really important to us; and of course, our rights, ordained by God but enumerated in the Constitution. And all of those are protected by the Second Amendment. So, if you love the First Amendment, God bless you, the Fourth Amendment, God bless you – any one of them. If you love the document and what it says and the freedoms you have, back to the Second Amendment because that’s what preserves it. That’s what it means to us,” he said.

Reschenthaler referred to the state’s constitution protecting the right to bear arms as an “amendment that protects all the other amendments.”

“Pennsylvania has a robust [version] of the Second Amendment. In our Constitution, for example, it says … the right to self-defense shall not be questioned in Pennsylvania. So, starting off with that, you understand where the framers were with the Second Amendment and our right to carry and bear arms,” he said.

Reschenthaler, who represents Pennsylvania’s 14th Congressional District, stated that for his constituents, the Second Amendment is a top issue as crime trends rise.

“It’s incredibly important in my district to have the right to carry and to have arms, especially with the rising crime rates. You know, it’s amazing that the same people that walk around with their own private security are the ones that want to tell you that you don’t have the right to carry,” he said.

Perry urged every registered Republican in the Keystone State to vote this election year to bring about a national red wave.

“If every person that is registered to vote that’s a Republican, if every single one of them will vote, we will win easily. That’s all that needs to happen. If you are a registered Republican, just vote. You have 50 days in Pennsylvania now, there’s no reason, there’s no excuse not to vote. If you’re concerned about your rights, if you care about your rights, if you care about your country, your community, your safety, the safety of your family, your economic well-being, then you need to be voting,” he said.

After his speech at the NRA event, Trump headed to South Carolina. He will face off against former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley in the Republican primary this month. So far this primary season, Trump has won New Hampshire as well as the Iowa and Nevada caucuses.

Our Thoughts

The recent NRA event in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, underscores the deep-seated passion many Americans have for the Second Amendment and their concern over potential infringements on their rights to bear arms.

Trump’s promise to terminate any attacks on gun owners and manufacturers if he returns to office taps into this sentiment and presents a stark contrast to the current administration’s stance on gun control.

The polarizing views on this issue between Republicans and Democrats are evident, with Representative Guy Reschenthaler’s comments pointing to a fundamental misunderstanding of gun control platforms on the part of the Democrats.

Whether this is an accurate depiction or a politically motivated critique, it highlights the ongoing struggle between individual liberties and perceived government overreach.

The role gun owners will play in the upcoming elections, particularly in key battleground states like Pennsylvania, cannot be underestimated.

Their potential influence on the election outcome underscores the need for ongoing, balanced discussions on the Second Amendment and its place in modern society.

It’s also a reminder that the Constitution remains a living document, one whose interpretation continues to evolve in response to societal changes and challenges.

Let us know what you think, please share your thoughts in the comments below.

Source