The two-person shooting at Florida State University was described by President Trump as “terrible” and a “shame,” but he hinted that he is unlikely to support any new gun control laws, claiming to be a “big advocate of the Second Amendment.”

In response to reporters’ questions about whether he intended to consider tougher gun regulations following the shooting, Mr. Trump stated, “These things are terrible.” However, it is the people who carry out the shooting, not the gun.

“As far as legislation is concerned, this has been going on for a long time,” Trump stated. It is my duty to defend the Second Amendment. Among many other things, I ran on the Second Amendment, and I will always defend it.

The president also claimed to know Florida State University and the region “very well.” He resides in Palm Beach, Florida, for the most part.

According to police, the Florida State University campus in Tallahassee saw two fatalities and six injuries. After being shot by police, the alleged shooter, Phoenix Ikner, 20, was taken into custody, according to law enforcement.

In general, Mr. Trump has been against new gun control laws. Early in February, he issued an executive order directing Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate repealing a number of gun laws from the Biden administration, including more stringent guidelines for gun dealers. After a deadly mass shooting in Las Vegas, Mr. Trump did restrict “bump stocks”—devices that speed up gunfire—during his first term, but the Supreme Court overturned the rule last year.

As of right now, there is no permanent director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. FBI Director Kash Patel, who oversaw both the FBI and ATF concurrently, was replaced last week by Army Secretary Dan Driscoll as the agency’s acting head.