CNN
President Donald Trump speaks to Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California.
- President Donald Trump held a meeting on gun control with lawmakers at the White House on Wednesday.
- Trump approved of many suggestions from Democratic lawmakers.
- Some Republicans felt shafted by his remarks.
When President Donald Trump appeared to chastise Republicans lawmakers and applaud Democrats during an informal meeting with a group of congressmembers at the White House on Wednesday, they seemed to have a hard time containing their emotions.
During the meeting, Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota suggested inserting an addendum on domestic violence to a new bill on background checks.
"So if you can add that to this bill, that would be great," Trump said about Klobuchar's suggestion, before turning to Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California. "Dianne, if you can add what you have also, and I think you can, into the bill."
Feinstein cracked a smile and appeared to be gleeful about the suggestion:
"Joe, are you ready," Feinstein quipped to Sen. Joe Manchin, the Democrat from West Virginia.
"Can you do that," Trump asked. "Joe, can you do that?"
Klobuchar continued discussing another domestic-violence bill when Trump interjected.
"I would say this, we're gonna get it passed," Trump said. "If you could add 'domestic violence' paragraphs, pages into this bill, I'm all for it. I think it's terrific if you can do it."
As Trump spoke, Klobuchar took a sip of water as she shot an approving glance to a colleague:
And while Trump continued to green-light suggestions from Democrats, he appeared to temporarily pass over some Republicans, including Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, the second-ranking GOP senator:
During the freewheeling meeting, Trump made several statements that appeared to worry Republican lawmakers, including telling Sen. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania that he might be "afraid of the NRA," referring to the National Rifle Association, an influential gun-rights organization.
"I like taking the guns early," Trump said at the meeting. "Take the guns first, go through due process second."
Lawmakers have since railed against Trump's remarks and said they disagreed with some of his ideas.
"Strong leaders don't automatically agree with the last thing that was said to them," Republican Sen. Ben Sasse of Nebraska said in a statement.
"We have the Second Amendment and due process of law for a reason. We're not ditching any Constitutional protections simply because the last person the President talked to today doesn't like them," Sasse said.