Trump Said He Stood By His “Opposition To Gun Control When It Comes To Taking Guns From Law-Abiding Citizens.” TRUMP: “I certainly stand by my opposition to Gun Control when it comes to taking guns from law-abiding citizens. You mention that the media describes the AR-15 as an ‘assault rifle,’ which is one example of the many distortions they use to sell their agenda. However, the AR-15 does not fall under this category. Gun- banners are unfortunately preoccupied with the AR-15, magazine capacity, grips, and other aesthetics, precisely because of its popularity.” [Ammoland, 7/7/15] Donald Trump Played Up His Support For Nearly Unrestricted Gun Rights Despite Having Supported The Assault Weapons Ban And Longer Background Checks In The Past. “Donald Trump said Tuesday he supports allowing Americans to legally buy and own assault weapons…. Trump has played up his support for nearly unrestricted gun rights throughout the campaign as he has looked to bolster his conservative credentials, especially given his past support for some gun control measures. ‘I generally oppose gun control, but I support the ban on assault weapons and I also support a slightly longer waiting period to purchase a gun,’ Trump wrote in his 2000 book ‘The America We Deserve.’” [CNN, 10/6/15] BACKGROUND CHECKS TRUMP IN 1999: “I FAVOR YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH A PROCESS” 1999: Trump Favored Background Checks For Gun Purchases. KING: “Do you favor long checks and how people get the guns? You don't favor easy access?” TRUMP: “Yes, yes, no, I favor -- I favor you have to go through a process, but the fact is that the bad ones already have one, and they're not going to go through a process either; they're not going to go through any process. Look, there's nothing I like better than nobody has them, but that's not going to happen, Larry. So, as long as that's not going to happen, I say you have to be allowed to have a gun.”[Larry King Live, CNN, 10/7/99] 2000: TRUMP SUPPORTED LONGER BACKGROUND CHECKS 2000: Donald Trump Said He Wished Nobody Had Guns And Supported Longer Background Checks And The Assault Weapons Ban. “The Donald’s sudden and loud embrace of the Second Amendment might come as a surprise to people who followed his first flirtation with running for the presidency in 2000 as a member of the Reform Party. Then The Donald, ever the populist, said while he generally opposed gun control, he slammed Republicans for not wanting registrations on guns and said he wished nobody had guns. Similarly, Trump said he supported longer background checks and the ban on assault weapons.” [Buzzfeed, 10/5/15] TRUMP IN 2015: “THE CURRENT BACKGROUND CHECKS DO NOT WORK” Trump: “I Do Not Support Expanding Background Checks. The Current Background Checks Do Not Work.” TRUMP: “I do not support expanding background checks. The current background checks do not work…They make it more difficult for law abiding citizens to acquire firearms while consistently failing to stop criminals from getting guns. We Confidential Page 123