During the recent debate with Donald Trump, Vice President Kamala Harris stated she would not be “taking away anybody’s guns.” However, just three days later, she has shifted her position and expressed support for an “assault weapon” ban.
This change has sparked controversy, particularly given her previous debate remarks.
In the debate, Harris surprised many viewers by revealing that she owns a gun herself and emphasized she had no intention of confiscating firearms.
She reassured voters that she would respect Second Amendment rights if elected in November.
“I am a gun owner, and Tim Walz, my running mate, is also a gun owner. We’re not taking anyone’s guns away. I support the Second Amendment and reasonable gun safety laws,” Harris said in the interview. Despite her previous statement, she expressed strong support for restricting assault weapons, describing them as “weapons of war.”
Harris elaborated further, stating, “I feel very strongly that it is consistent with the Second Amendment and your right to own a gun to also say we need an assault weapons ban. They’re literally tools of war.” She emphasized the importance of universal background checks, noting that the majority of NRA members support this measure. “It’s just reasonable. You just might want to know,” she added, highlighting the common-sense nature of such regulations.
However, Harris took a different stance in her first solo interview since the debate. Speaking on Los Angeles’s ABC 7, she stated that banning assault weapons would be consistent with the Second Amendment.
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This shift in Harris’s position on gun control is not the first time she has faced criticism for changing her stance on key issues.
President Trump and his campaign have repeatedly pointed out her “flip-flopping” on various topics, including immigration, fracking, and policing.
Trump has used these inconsistencies as a central theme in his criticism of Harris during the election campaign, accusing her of lacking a clear, consistent platform.
Harris’s recent comments on gun control have added fuel to this line of attack. Her new stance on assault weapons, just days after declaring she would not confiscate guns, plays into Trump’s narrative of her being unreliable on critical issues.
Supporters of stricter gun control may welcome her change of heart, but opponents argue that her shifting positions raise questions about her commitment to Second Amendment rights.
As the election approaches, Harris’s evolving stance on gun control will likely remain a focal point in the ongoing debate over firearm regulations.
With gun rights being a deeply divisive issue in the U.S., Harris’s attempt to balance support for the Second Amendment with advocating for an assault weapons ban could further intensify scrutiny from both sides of the political spectrum.
Her approach to gun control legislation, along with other contentious policy positions, will undoubtedly continue to be a significant talking point as she navigates the final stretch of the election campaign.
