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The fissure that appeared last week that found the White House disavowing a memo on gun safety being circulated by the White House goes as deep as Trump's family. Presidential children and inexplicable policy advisers Ivanka and Don Jr. are on opposing sides, putting pressure on their doddering dad, who won't make up his mind.
Ivanka has Attorney General William Barr, and they are arguing for strengthening background checks and red flag laws. Don Jr. has Trump's everything guy Mick Mulvaney, who also brought the NRA to the White House in the form of adviser Michael Williams, a former law clerk for the National Rifle Association's lobbying arm. He's also served as general counselor for the American Suppressor Association—the people who want to do away with restrictions on gun silencers. They are arguing for doing nothing. Barr and Ivanka are talking to members on both sides of the aisle, and Mulvaney and team are whipping up the maniacal resistance.
Meanwhile, Trump is publicly blaming House Democrats, specifically House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler and his committee's investigations. "We're looking at it right now, we're studying it very hard, and it’s an issue that, frankly, Congress is wasting all their time on—nonsense—and we're studying it very hard," Trump said. "If Congress would get back to work, we could work something, but Congress is doing all of this nonsense, this garbage they're doing, and I'll tell you what, they don't have any time."
In actuality, the House has acted. It acted months ago with bills expanding both background checks and red flag laws. The Senate could easily take up those bills and—if Majority Leader Mitch McConnell would allow up-or-down votes—possibly pass them. Which of course he won't let happen. The White House squabbling works to his, and the NRA's, advantage, because he can just keep sticking with the story that his hands are tied until Trump decides.