DALLAS (AP) — Attendees at the National Rifle Association's annual meeting in Dallas can carry their firearms — except during the forum where President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence speak Friday.
A White House official said Monday that Trump will attend Friday. Pence had already been slated to speak at Friday's leadership forum,
The NRA has said on its website that due to Pence's attendance, the U.S. Secret Service is responsible for security then. It's standard for the Secret Service to bar firearms from being carried into places visited by the people they protect, regardless of state laws.
Some students at the Parkland, Florida, high school where 17 people were killed in February criticized the NRA on social media for what they see as hypocrisy.
Guns were also banned during Trump's appearance at the NRA's annual meeting in Atlanta last year.
The NRA has evolved into such a hilarious parody of itself. pic.twitter.com/6Pw6NTQAe6
— Cameron Kasky (@cameron_kasky) April 28, 2018
On so many levels, this is enlightening. According to the NRA, we should want everyone to have weapons when we are in public. But when they put on a convention, the weapons are a concern? I thought giving everyone a gun was to enhance safety. Am I missing something? https://t.co/f4wgNhJ7RI
— Fred Guttenberg (@fred_guttenberg) April 28, 2018