Trump rips officers over Florida shooting: ‘I really believe I'd run in there even if I didn't have a weapon’

David Jackson | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption Trump: I would have run into school during shooting even without a gun Meeting with the nation's governors, President Trump once again criticized the Parkland school's deputy for inaction, claiming had he been there he would have run inside. Nathan Rousseau Smith has the story.

WASHINGTON — While urging governors to work with him on new school safety measures, President Trump again attacked officers Monday for not entering a Florida high school building and somehow engaging a gunman who killed 17 people with a military-style rifle.

"I really believe I'd run in there even if I didn't have a weapon, and I think most of the people in this room would have done that, too," Trump told a group of state governors gathered at the White House for talks on multiple issues.

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Trump singled out a sheriff's deputy assigned to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., and described the lack of action by him and others during the Feb. 14 shooting as "frankly, disgusting." But he also added that "you don't know" how anyone would react until they're tested.

Trump: Florida deputy did a 'poor job' President Donald Trump says the armed officer who didn’t stop the gunman responsible for last week’s Florida massacre was either a “coward” or “didn’t react properly under pressure.” He made the comments as he departed for the CPAC conference. (Feb. 23)

Asked if Trump has had firearms training himself, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said, "I don't think that was the point he was making; he was saying that he would be a leader and would want to take a courageous action."

Former Broward County Sheriff's Deputy Scot Peterson, who resigned following his suspension by Sheriff Scott Israel, said his actions have been misreported.

According to a statement issued by his lawyer, Peterson thought the shots were coming from outside any school building, and he followed training that says "in the event of outdoor gunfire, one is to seek cover and assess the situation" and communicate with other law enforcement officers.

“Allegations that Mr. Peterson was a coward and that his performance, under the circumstances, failed to meet the standards of police officers are patently untrue,” the statement said.

Response being investigated

Peterson's response and the larger actions of the Broward County Sheriff's Department regarding the Parkland massacre are being investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement at the request of GOP Gov. Rick Scott, who attended the session with Trump Monday.

"I think the right thing is to go through a very transparent, thorough process of investigation. Let's the facts out there. Then the right decision will be made," Scott said in an interview after the session, adding that Peterson's decision not to confront the shooter was "horrible."

While berating local law enforcement, Trump also outlined a gun control and school safety program that includes expanded background checks, eliminating "bump stocks" and other devices that turn semi-automatic weapons into automatic ones, and emphasizing mental health issues, and arming "highly trained" teachers and school officials.

"We have to take steps to harden our schools so that they're less vulnerable to attack," Trump said.

Yet it's unclear what, if anything, Congress will do; Republican congressional leaders have not said how they plan to address the gun issue, given an array of opinions on the subject.

And Trump and his aides are still working on the specifics of his proposals, the main goal of meetings Monday with the governors and more talks later this week with officials on all sides of the gun issue. Trump "is committed to ensuring the safety of our schools and communities," Sanders said, "and he wants to hear ideas from Americans of all backgrounds and beliefs."

Some of Trump's ideas have drawn opposition, including governors who questioned the proposal to give teachers guns.

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“We need a little less tweeting, a little more listening,” said Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, a Democrat, during a discussion about arming teachers.

Throughout the day, White House officials and governors caucused on a number of items in which they can work together. In addition to gun control, topics included health care, agriculture policy, workforce development, and infrastructure.

As part of his outreach on the gun issue, Trump told the governors that over the weekend he had lunch with prominent National Rifle Association officials, including Wayne LaPierre and Chris Cox.

The NRA opposes a proposal Trump made last week, increasing the age limit for purchase of semi-automatic weapons from 18 to 21 — an idea Trump did not mention during his chat with the governors.

While telling the governors "don't worry about the NRA, they’re on our side," Trump said, "sometimes we’re going to have to be very tough and we’re going to have to fight them.”

Sanders said Trump still supports "the concept" of an age increase for rifles, but is working on the details of this and other school safety plans.

As for background checks, Trump said he is looking for ways to make it harder for mentally ill people to be able to obtain guns.

Trump plans to meet Wednesday with members of Congress from both parties, Sanders said, "to discuss different pieces of legislation, and what they can do, moving forward."

Contributing: Ledyard King, USA TODAY