Front-running GOP presidential hopeful Donald Trump issued a Second Amendment policy paper Friday calling for tougher law enforcement against violent crime, reforms in mental healthcare and better protections for legal gun ownership – including allowing military personnel to be armed on bases.
The position paper – the second issued since announcing his run for the White House in June – was posted
on his campaign website, and comes as he comes
under increased scrutiny over his knowledge of policy.
His first policy paper
focused on immigration.
"It’s been said that the Second Amendment is America's first freedom," Trump writes. "We are the only country in the world that has a Second Amendment. Protecting that freedom is imperative."
Laying out a three-pronged strategy, Trump said he would "get serious about prosecuting violence criminals" and blasted the Obama administration's record as "abysmal."
"Violent crime in cities like Baltimore, Chicago and many others is out of control," he writes. "Drug dealers and gang members are given a slap on the wrist and turned loose on the street. This needs to stop. … To make America great again, we’re going to go after criminals and put the law back on the side of the law-abiding."
And he said part of that solution will be to fix "our broken mental health system" by expanding treatment programs.
"We need to get [violent mentally ill people] off the street before they can terrorize our communities," he said.
He also criticized gun and magazine bans as "a total failure," declared "law-abiding people should be allowed to own the firearm of their choice," and said military personnel need to be allowed "to defend themselves."