Sen. Chris Murphy Christopher (Chris) Scott MurphyGOP chairman to release interim report on Biden probe 'in about a week' This week: House returns for pre-election sprint Battle over timing complicates Democratic shutdown strategy MORE (D-Conn.) clashed with President-elect Donald Trump Donald John TrumpBarr criticizes DOJ in speech declaring all agency power 'is invested in the attorney general' Military leaders asked about using heat ray on protesters outside White House: report Powell warns failure to reach COVID-19 deal could 'scar and damage' economy MORE's pick for Education secretary Tuesday over whether guns should be allowed in schools.

At her Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee hearing, Betsy DeVos declined to answer the question directly and said it should be left to states to make that decision.

“I think that’s best left to locales and states to decide,” DeVos said.

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Murphy cut her off, adding, “You can’t say definitively today that guns shouldn’t be in schools?”

Murphy, who’s a vocal gun control advocate, represented his home state in the upper chamber when 20 children and six adults were killed during the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Conn.

DeVos referred back to a story from Sen. Mike Enzi Michael (Mike) Bradley EnziCynthia Lummis wins GOP Senate primary in Wyoming The Hill's Convention Report: Democrats gear up for Day Two of convention Davis: The Hall of Shame for GOP senators who remain silent on Donald Trump MORE (R-Wyo.) earlier in the hearing about a school in his home state.

“I think probably there I would imagine that there’s probably a gun in the school to protect from potential grizzlies," she said.

Murphy followed up with another question about whether DeVos would support Trump's proposal to ban gun-free zones in schools.

During a campaign rally last year, Trump called for the elimination of gun-free zones and said he would sign that on his first day in office. But he later appeared to soften that position, clarifying that he doesn’t want firearms in all classrooms, but with the exception of some trained teachers.

“I will support what the president-elect does, but senator, if the question is around gun violence, and results of that, please know that my heart bleeds and is broken for those families that have lost any individual due to gun violence," DeVos responded.

Murphy appeared to get emotional and said that he looks forward to having DeVos visit Connecticut and talk about "the role of guns in schools."