STREAM EXCLUSIVE ORIGINALS

Donald Trump Says Texas Church Shooting Is A 'Mental Health' Not A 'Gun Problem' And People Quickly Point Out The Problem With His Argument

"It's about assault weapons, which under the GOP bill, the mentally ill easily can buy."

After the tragic shooting at a church in Texas which resulted in the deaths of 26 people, including children, Trump's administration began receiving questions about changes to gun legislation. 

While on his Asian tour, President Trump participated in a joint press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe. During the briefing, Trump was asked about Sunday's shooting. 

  • Trump said he believed the shooting was a 'mental health problem' and not a gun problem

    "Mental health is your problem here," Trump said during a joint news conference in Tokyo on Monday. "Based on preliminary reports [the shooter was] a very deranged individual."

    "This isn't a guns situation," Trump added "This is a mental health problem at the highest level. It's a very, very sad event."

    "A very, very sad event, but that's the way I view it," Trump said in the clip, posted by CNN.

  • People were quick to point out the biggest flaw with Trump's 'mental health' argument

  • In February, Trump reversed an Obama-era policy which made it harder for people with mental illness to purchase weapons

    Just over a month after taking office, Trump signed a law which rescinded the Obama-era policy which mandated people who received Social Security checks for mental illnesses and people deemed unfit to handle their own financial affairs be added to the national background check database, reported NBC.

  • The president was slammed on Twitter for blaming the Texas shooting on mental health when there was mental health gun legislation in place

Latest News

Subscribe for BET Updates

Provide your email address to receive our newsletter.


By clicking Subscribe, you confirm that you have read and agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge our Privacy Policy. You also agree to receive marketing communications, updates, special offers (including partner offers) and other information from BET and the Paramount family of companies. You understand that you can unsubscribe at any time.