President Donald Trump defended the National Rifle Association (NRA), as the left and the mainstream media blamed the gun rights organization for mass shootings.

“These are good people, in many cases great people, they are patriots, they love our country,” he said. “The NRA wants to do the right thing, I’ve been speaking to them.”

The president spoke briefly to reporters as he left the White House to speak at conservative activists at CPAC.

Trump said that he would fix the issue of mass shootings in schools, even though it had been a problem for years. He called for the end of gun-free zones at schools.

“You have to have a certain degree of offensive power within the school, it can’t always be defense,” he said.

Trump criticized Florida Deputy Sheriff Scott Peterson who resigned after it was revealed that even though he was armed and onsite, he did not engage the shooter.

“He didn’t have the courage or something happened, he certainly did a poor job,” Trump said, pointing out that Peterson was “under pressure” or “a coward.”