Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe Now
President Donald Trump vowed to fight for gun rights as he addressed the National Rifle Association in Indianapolis on Friday and implored members of the group to rally behind his re-election bid.
Speaking at the group's annual meeting for the third straight year, Trump declared himself a "champion for the Second Amendment."
"It's under assault," he said of the constitutional right to bear arms. "But not while we're here."
And he told the thousands in the crowd: "You better get out there and vote," saying of the 2020 election, "It seems like it's a long ways away. It's not."
Introducing Trump, Vice President Mike Pence told the crowd that under the Trump administration, "no one is taking your guns."
Greeting the 45th president at Lucas Oil Stadium on Friday were people in red "Make American Great Again" hats and a round of country music. The clocks in the stadium were set to 45:00.
Running through Sunday in Indianapolis, the NRA's convention comes as longtime observers say the group is at its weakest moment in memory. They say it is beset by infighting, financial issues and shifting public sentiment after a series of mass shootings.
Trump also told the crowd that the U.S. has decided to withdraw its support for an international treaty regulating the multibillion-dollar global arms trade.
He said he has decided to revoke the United States' status as a signatory of the Arms Trade Treaty regulating international trade in conventional weapons, including small arms, battle tanks, combat aircraft and warships.
The NRA has claimed the treaty poses a threat to the Second Amendment. The U.S. signed the treaty in 2013, but never ratified it.
Trump also brought up several grievances with the report released by special counsel Robert Mueller after investigating Russian influence in the 2016 presidential election.
Trump said his political enemies "tried for a coup, didn't work out so well. And I didn't need a gun for that one, did I?'
The audience applauded the quip, but Trump wasn't done. He said he's seen "corruption at the highest levels. A disgrace. Spying. Surveillance trying for an overthrow."
Mueller's probe found no evidence that Trump and his campaign colluded with the Russians to influence the 2016 presidential election. But his report contained detail about Trump's efforts to shut down the investigation and fire Mueller.
Please enable JavaScript to view this content.