US President Donald Trump said arming teachers could help prevent massacres like last weeks mass shooting at a Florida high school, voicing support for an idea backed by the National Rifle Association (NRA) gun rights group.
Trump made the comment during an emotional hour-long White House meeting with students who survived the Florida shooting and a parent whose child did not.
Hundreds of students joined scattered protests across the country, including in Washington, Chicago and Pittsburgh.
The Republican president, who has championed gun rights and was endorsed by the NRA during the 2016 campaign, said he will move quickly to tighten background checks for gun buyers and will consider raising the age for buying certain types of guns.
He spoke at length about how armed teachers and security guards could frighten off potential school shooters and prevent student deaths.
“If you had a teacher … who was adept at firearms, it could very well end the attack very quickly,” said Trump.
