Former President Trump announced that he will still appear at the NRA’s convention in Houston on Friday even as backlash continues to mount over the event in the wake of the tragic shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas.
In a post on his knockoff Twitter app on Wednesday, one day after the devastating massacre, the former president confirmed his commitment to speaking at the NRA summit.
Trump justified his appearance by suggesting that the country needs “real solutions and real leadership” instead of “politicians and partisanship.”
“In the meantime, we all continue to pray for the victims, their families, and for our entire nation — we are all in this together!” Trump wrote.
Trump’s post comes as the NRA, and the planned gathering, are met with renewed outrage following a school shooting that left at least 19 children and two teachers dead when a gunman opened fire at Robb Elementary School.
The NRA will ban firearms in the area during the event — for Trump’s safety.
Two Texas Republicans, Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) and Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX), said they canceled their scheduled appearances at the NRA convention. Cornyn’s office claimed that the cancelation happened before the shooting “due to an unexpected change in his schedule” and that he now has to be in D.C. “for personal reasons” on Friday. Crenshaw’s office confirmed his cancelation to TPM, saying that the the congressman is in Ukraine and wouldn’t be back in the U.S. in time to attend the event.
Other prominent figures who are scheduled to speak at the NRA event, such as Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R), stated their intent to follow through with their commitment amid mounting backlash.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) avoided addressing whether he would cancel his scheduled appearance at the NRA event during a press conference on the shooting on Wednesday. Abbott told reporters that he is “living moment to moment right now.”
