Donald Trump: ‘Concealed Carry a Right, Not a Privilege’

In a policy paper released to explain the importance of key Second Amendment issues, Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump stresses “concealed carry…is a right, not a privilege” and contends for national recognition of the concealed carry permits from every state.

Breitbart News previously reported that Trump is a gun owner and concealed carry permit holder who believes we must maintain the Second Amendment “in its strongest form.”

According to Trump, the push for national right to carry recognition is one that needs to succeed. Trump explains:

The right of self-defense doesn’t stop at the end of your driveway. That’s why I have a concealed carry permit and why tens of millions of Americans do too. That permit should be valid in all 50 states. A driver’s license works in every state, so it’s common sense that a concealed carry permit should work in every state. If we can do that for driving – which is a privilege, not a right – then surely we can do that for concealed carry, which is a right, not a privilege.

Trump also used the policy paper to mock the idea of describing an entire category of guns as “assault weapons.” He explained:

Opponents of gun rights try to come up with scary sounding phrases like “assault weapons,” “military-style weapons” and “high capacity magazines” to confuse people. What they’re really talking about are popular semi-automatic rifles and standard magazines that are owned by tens of millions of Americans. Law-abiding people should be allowed to own the firearm of their choice.

Perhaps most importantly–in the face of today’s most common gun control campaigns–Trump said he would not support an expansion of background checks. He pointed out that we have had background checks since 1998 and that those checks haven’t lived up the promises that were given when they were enacted. He says we have a situation where criminals get guns when they need them–background system or not–while law-abiding citizens are burdened with going through a check that was supposed to “be instant, accurate and fair,” but isn’t.

Trump stressed the importance of harsh penalties for those who commit crimes with guns and a commitment to enforcing those penalties. He said:

Several years ago there was a tremendous program in Richmond, Virginia called Project Exile. It said that if a violent felon uses a gun to commit a crime, you will be prosecuted in federal court and go to prison for five years – no parole or early release. Obama’s former Attorney General, Eric Holder, called that a “cookie cutter” program. That’s ridiculous. I call that program a success. Murders committed with guns in Richmond decreased by over 60% when Project Exile was in place – in the first two years of the program alone, 350 armed felons were taken off the street.

Trump believes that a combination of enforcement of harsh penalties for gun crimes and a revamping of America’s mental health system–together with a broadened exercise of the right to use guns for self-defense–are the keys to addressing gun violence in America.

Gun control proponents need not apply.

Follow AWR Hawkins on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com.