DAYTON, Ohio — The mayor said she would greet President Donald Trump when he visits Wednesday, but she said she's not satisfied with the way he addressed Sunday's mass shooting that left nine dead and dozens injured.
Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley said in a Tuesday press conference that Trump's remarks were disappointing.
"I'm disappointed with his remarks, I mean, I think they fell really short," Whaley said. "He mentioned gun issues one time. I think, watching the president over the past few years on the issue of guns... I don't think he knows what he believes, frankly."
Trump called the shootings over the weekend in Dayton and El Paso, Texas "wicked," but fell short of providing any solutions.
Instead, Trump condemned racism and white supremacy and said, "Hate has no place in America." The president also said video games are a contributing factor to mass shootings, a talking-point that has been debunked.
When asked if the federal government does enough to end gun violence, Whaley said, "Absolutely not."
Whaley did say she is pleased with Gov. Mike DeWine's proposals he gave Tuesday morning. She did say DeWine's proposals didn't go as far as she would have gone, but she is happy with the direction things are going on gun issues.
"The governor's trying to make steps that are effective here," Whaley said. "He called me last night about this... he said — look, I don't know if these things would have changed Dayton, but I think Dayton happening has changed his mood on these things."
Part of the conversation surrounding these attacks has been centered around mental health. Whaley said this is an important point, and more mental health access was needed, but the issues of mental health and gun violence are not the same.
"I think mental health is a really, really big issue," Whaley said. "I want us to be careful to not just put them together as one...To just do mental health and don't do gun work, on common sense gun legislation, we will not be successful in this fight."
The president confirmed in a tweet he would visit both Dayton and El Paso on Wednesday.
Will be going to Dayton, Ohio and El Paso, Texas, tomorrow to meet with First Responders, Law Enforcement, and some of the victims of the terrible shootings.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 6, 2019
