Donald Trump condemned for using 'I hear you' cue card in meeting with Florida shooting survivors

Tom Powell22 February 2018

Donald Trump has been condemned for holding a cue card reminding him to offer sympathy when he met survivors and families of the Florida school massacre.

The president took the card into a listening session at the White House, which was organised after 17 people were killed in a shooting at Marjory Douglas Stoneman High School in Parkland last Wednesday.

The officially marked card also included the phrases: “What would you most want me to know about your experience?" and "What can we do to help you feel safe?"

A picture of the card in Mr Trump’s hands drew widespread criticism online, with many accusing him of feigning empathy.

The president was joined by students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School for the listening session
AP

Hillary Clinton’s political advisor, Adam Parkhomenko, wrote: "Trump brought Cliff notes to the gun violence listening session. Final note 'I hear you'".

Twitter user Cveronica wrote: "What kind of person needs notes to show empathy to children who were under heavy fire from a maniac? Kids who lost 17 people in the time it took the killer to aim his rapid fire AR15".

Another person added: "Trump needed a cheat sheet written by someone else to remind him to say “I hear you” to people affected by gun violence."

Among the group of 40 people were six students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas, including the student body president, along with their parents.

Also present were Darrell and Sandra Scott, whose daughter was killed in the Columbine, Colorado, shooting, and Nicole Hockley and Mark Barden, who lost children in Sandy Hook, Connecticut.

During the session, Mr Trump promised to be "very strong on background checks," also suggesting that teachers and other school employees could carry concealed weapons.

He was faced with grieving families looking for answers, with some suggesting raising age limits for buying assault weapons.

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Parkland student Samuel Zeif said he has heard of 15-year-olds buying rifles. Cary Gruber, father of a Parkland student, implored Mr Trump: "It's not left and right," adding "if you can't buy a beer, shouldn't be able to buy a gun".

A strong supporter of gun rights, Mr Trump has nonetheless indicated in recent days that he is willing to consider new ideas including age restrictions for buying assault-type weapons.

The student body president at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Julia Cordover, tearfully told Mr Trump that she "was lucky enough to come home from school".

She added: "I am confident you will do the right thing."

On Wednesday, student survivors of the Florida school shooting marched in the state capital Tallahassee to call for tougher gun laws.

The protests came closer to Mr Trump too, with hundreds of students from suburban Maryland attending a rally at the Capitol and then marching to the White House.

On Tuesday, Mr Trump directed the Justice Department to move to ban devices like the rapid-fire bump stocks used in last year's Las Vegas massacre. The White House has also said Mr Trump was looking at a bill that would strengthen federal gun background checks.

But those moves have drawn criticism as being inadequate, with Democrats questioning whether the Justice Department even has authority to regulate bump stocks and arguing that the background check legislation would not go far enough.

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