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Trump Praises Texas School Marshal Program At National Governors Conference

Ryan Poppe
/
Texas Public Radio

Gov. Greg Abbott, along with dozens of other state governors, joined President Donald Trump in Washington to discuss shared federal-state priorities concerning gun safety.

Abbott is attending the National Governors Association’s winter conference. Trump met with all of the governors attending the conference to discuss gun safety and what he ultimately sees as a shared state-federal responsibility when it comes to keeping schools safe.

During that meeting, Trump called on Abbott to highlight a school gun safety program created by Texas lawmakers called the Texas School Marshal Program.

“Individuals would be trained to have a weapon and be able to use that weapon. They will have signs out front warning anyone if they come onto to campus and attempt to cause anyone any harm, they’re going to be in trouble,” Abbott said.

Trump said in return: “So, essentially, what you’re saying is that when a sick individual comes into that school they can expect major trouble — the bullets are also going towards him.”

Abbott told his fellow state governors that there are now over 100 school districts in Texas that have signed up for the school marshal program.

Trump also discussed shared state-federal priorities when addressing the country’s infrastructure needs, workforce development and the opioid epidemic.

The governor’s office says Abbott also discussed how to address the rising cost of healthcare with the Trump administration and discussed ongoing North American Free Trade Agreement negotiations during his visit to Washington.

Ryan Poppe can be reached at rpoppe@tpr.org or on Twitter @RyanPoppe1

Ryan started his radio career in 2002 working for Austin’s News Radio KLBJ-AM as a show producer for the station's organic gardening shows. This slowly evolved into a role as the morning show producer and later as the group’s executive producer.