Calls for action grow in wake of weekend shootings

(NBC News) – President Trump condemned hate and bigotry Monday in the wake of deadly mass shootings in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio.

“In one voice our nation must condemn racism, bigotry and white supremacy. These sinister ideologies must be defeated. Hate has no place in America,” Mr. Trump said.

The president also pledged to take steps to prevent future shootings by reforming mental health laws and giving law enforcement additional tools and resources.

Still, he defended guns.

“Mental illness and hatred pulls the trigger, not the gun,” he said.

The president says he’s ordering the Department of Justice to pour more resources into detecting potential shooters before they act.

He also called for ending the glorification of violence, including in video games, and supports using the death penalty for those who commit federal hate crimes and mass murder.

Many noticed what was not in the speech.

“I heard a passive collective voice of ‘our nation, must reject.’ I didn’t hear him [say], ‘I’ first-person, reject this and you,” says MSNBC security analyst Frank Figliuzzi.

Also absent were any calls for the senate to vote on gun safety bills already passed by the house.

“He didn’t talk about background checks, even though the House has passed an expanded background check law that’s pending in the Senate right now. He could have called out that bill by name,” says Brady president Kris Brown.

Some believe the president bears responsibility for the El Paso shooting, noting his frequent anti-immigrant rhetoric includes words similar to those written by the gunman.

“Words have consequences,” says Texas’ Rep. Veronica Escobar. “The president has made my community and my people the enemy.”

Democrats are calling on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to call Senators on August recess back to Washington to pass gun safety measures.