Florida shooting: Trump backs raising age for buying assault rifles, bucks NRA

The US President says the nation should keep assault rifles out of the hands of anyone under 21.

US President Donald Trump said the nation should keep assault rifles out of the hands of anyone under 21. That position defies his loyal supporters in the National Rifle Association (NRA) at a time of heated debate over gun violence.

US President Donald Trump talks about gun safety in schools during a meeting with local and state officials about improving school safety at the White House in Washington, US, on Thursday. (Reuters Photo)

He also is pushing hard for arming security guards and many teachers in US schools.

Currently under federal law, anyone 18 or over can buy a gun from a private, unlicensed seller, although a handful of states have set the minimum age at 21.

Trump said he has spoken with many members of Congress and NRA officials and insisted they will go along with his plans in the wake of last week’s school shooting in Parkland, Florida, that left 17 people dead.

But there were no words of support from the NRA for his minimum-age proposal — and outright opposition from organisations of teachers and school security guards for the idea of arming schools to deal with intruders.