Trump honors Texas victims, slams sending $40 billion to Ukraine before securing U.S. schools

Former President Donald Trump waded Friday into the Texas school shooting, poignantly reading aloud the names of each victim while chiding  policymakers for sending $40 billion to aid Ukraine before fully securing America’s schools.

Speaking before the National Rifle Association annual meeting in Houston about 300 miles from the Uvalde tragedy, Trump listed the resources he believes are needed to secure schools, such as having armed officers and letting "highly trained" teachers carry concealed weapons.

He also said that every police department in America needs training for active shooter protocols to immediately eliminate attackers. "Took too long," he said, referencng the reportedly 40 to 60 minutes that law enforcement waited before going into the school and fatally shooting the gunman.

He said that increasing police funding was a matter of will, not resources

"If we have $40 billion to go to Ukraine, we should do whatever it takes to keep our children safe at home," Trump said.

He started off his speech Friday at the National Rifle Association's annual summit in Texas by taking a jab at GOP Gov. Greg Abbott for not appearing in person.

Trump said that "unlike some," he "didn't disappoint" the audience by not showing up. 

Abbott decided on Thursday night to skip the NRA summit and make a return trip to Uvalde, the town in which a gunman killed 19 children and two teachers inside the Robb Elementary School on Tuesday.

The Texas governor recorded video remarks that will be shown at the NRA event instead of making an in-person appearance.

Trump also began his speech with reading the names of all the victims of the school shooting, calling "each soul taken" an "incomprehensible loss." He called the shooting a "horrible, savage, barbaric tragedy that shocks the conscience of every single American."

The former president said that now is the time to find common ground as Americans mourn for the victims and pray for those who lost loved ones. But, he noted that before the day of the shooting ended, "cynical politicians" took advantage of the situation to attack Americans' Second Amendment rights.

Trump remarked that "Biden blamed the gun lobby" and said that Republicans are somehow okay with school shootings happening. "They're not," he said.

Trump added that the existence of evil is the best reason to arm law-abiding citizens.

He mentioned how the root causes of school shootings must be addressed, such as mental illness and broken families.

Trump also mentioned providing more funding to police, strengthening qualified immunity, and securing the border to prevent crime.

The former president also discussed the high crime rate that has resulted from Democrat policies such as gun-free school zones, letting violent criminals out without bail, and progressive prosecutors.

GETTR CEO Jason Miller posted on his GETTR account following Trump's speech, "That was the most powerful speech delivered by a U.S. President since January 20, 2021. #MAGA"