“While discussions are ongoing and revisions are being considered, the President is supportive of efforts to improve the Federal background check system," the statement said. | Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images White House: Trump supports stronger background checks for gun buys

President Donald Trump supports laws to strengthen the background check system for gun purchases in the wake of the Parkland, Florida high school shooting that killed 17, the White House announced on Monday.

“The President spoke to Senator [John] Cornyn on Friday about the bi-partisan bill he and Sen. [Chris] Murphy introduced to improve Federal Compliance with Criminal Background check Legislation,” press secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement. “While discussions are ongoing and revisions are being considered, the President is supportive of efforts to improve the Federal background check system.”


An aide to Cornyn confirmed the president had spoken to the senator about the bill, which has the support of both Mitch McConnell and Chuck Schumer.

“It’s clear the president is interested in getting something done,” the aide said.

This is the latest push for gun legislation in Trump’s tenure. The first came after a shooter in Las Vegas killed 58 people in October. There was bipartisan outcry and calls to more stringently regulate bump stocks, which the shooter used to increase his rate of fire, but the effort went nowhere.

In the wake of the Parkland shooting, there has been a renewed call for legislative action, with students who survived the massacre calling on Congress to act and planning a march in Washington to demand action.

The gun legislation Trump signaled his support for, spearheaded by Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), aims to enhance state and federal record-sharing with the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System. The measure enjoys broad support on both sides of the aisle, but Murphy noted Monday that even though Trump’s thumbs-up is significant, “no one should pretend this bill alone is an adequate response to this epidemic.”

Elana Schor and Burgess Everett contributed reporting.

