Donald Trump Blames Violent Movies and Video Games, Not Guns, for Gun Violence

In a hot take straight out of 1999, Donald Trump today declared that the real problem in this country isn’t guns — it’s violent movies and video games. “I’m hearing more and more people say the level of violence on video games is really shaping young people’s thoughts,” he said during a meeting about school safety. “And then you go the further step, and that’s the movies.”

“You see these movies, they’re so violent and yet, a kid is able to see the movie if sex isn’t involved. Killing is involved, and maybe they have to put a rating system for that,” Trump added, apparently unaware that the MPAA is a thing that exists and does exactly that.

As for why mass shootings don’t occur with anywhere near the same frequency in other countries where people watch violent movies and play violent video games but don’t have the same access to guns that Americans do— which is to say, nearly all of them — Trump didn’t venture a guess.

Trump also suggested that arming teachers would deter potential school shooters, tweeting in his usual calm manner that it would be a “GREAT DETERRENT!” and “ATTACKS WOULD END!” (emphasis his). According to ABC News, the National Rifle Association spent more than $11 million to support Trump during the 2016 election.

At meeting on school safety, President Trump says violence in video games and movies is responsible for shaping young people’s thoughts: “We have to do something about maybe what they’re seeing” https://t.co/VfXvVkwQmq pic.twitter.com/vbt2t0dhtm

— CNN (@CNN) February 22, 2018