“Raising the age is not going to solve psychosis,” NRA spokeswoman Dana Loesch said. | Alex Wong/Getty Images Despite Trump prediction, NRA says it won't back raising age limit on assault-style guns

A spokeswoman said Friday the National Rifle Association will not support efforts to raise the age limit on who can purchase assault-style guns, casting doubt on President Donald Trump's forecast that the group "will back" the push.

“Raising the age is not going to solve psychosis,” spokeswoman Dana Loesch told CNN on Friday when asked about the NRA's stance on the measure.


The issue of age restrictions on gun sales gained prominence last week after suspected shooter Nikolas Cruz, a 19-year-old former student of Marjory Stone Douglas High School in Florida, allegedly opened fire in Parkland, killing 17 and injuring several others. In the aftermath of the attack some officials have pushed for legislation that would limit the ability to purchase some guns, including the AR-15 assault rifle used in Florida, to those 21 and over.

During a White House meeting with state and local officials on school safety Thursday, the president appeared to expressed support for the measure. But Trump also prompted skepticism when he seemingly pledged that the NRA would back the move.

“It should all be at 21,” Trump said. “And the NRA will back it.”

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The remarks stood in direct contrast to the NRA's stated position, with the group releasing a statement Wednesday expressing their opposition to the push, which it said was meant to “punish law-abiding citizens.”

Loesch's remarks on Friday served as the first time the organization addressed the issue since Trump speculated about their support on Thursday. A spokesperson for the White House on Thursday said the president had spoken to NRA legislative chief Chris Cox over the weekend but declined to comment on whether the group had given the White House any assurances on age restrictions for gun sales.

Trump, fielding questions from reporters as he left the White House on Friday, reiterated that he felt “the NRA wants to do the right thing" on school safety.

The NRA spokeswoman also addressed her incendiary speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference a day prior, where she hammered news organizations for their response to the Florida shooting. "The mainstream media love mass shootings," Loesch charged during a fiery address.

Pressed by CNN on why she made the accusation, Loesch replied: “Because it’s true.”

“I do think that many in the media do because they like the ratings aspect of it," she said.

But the remarks were met by push back from CNN anchor Alisyn Camerota, who took exception to Loesch's inflammatory claim.

“You think we love mass shootings?" Camerota said. "It’s just malicious, actually, that you would say that. I don’t know anybody in the media who likes mass shootings."