MSNBC Live host Stephanie Ruhle invited professional gun control advocate Shannon Watts onto her Wednesday show to discuss recent gun-related news, including the news that the Trump Administration recently lifted the ban on exporting silencers to foreign individuals. According to Watts, this move proves that Trump cares more about Confederate soldiers than he does about American soldiers, a point Ruhle could not disagree with.
Ruhle asked Watts to explain the silencer export ban and why it was lift, "What does that mean to your average American who wouldn't follow that? And what could the consequences of that decision mean?"
Watts explained that the Bush Administration instituted the ban because they did not want silencers to fall into the hands of terrorist organizations fighting U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, but "a former gun lobbyist now works for the Trump Administration and he recommended that be overturned."
According to Watts the move is evidence that Trump does not care about American troops, "we've seen now that Trump has refused to act when Russia put bounties, essentially, on American troops." Turning from gun control advocate to Afghan War expert, she added "now endangering troops of being ambushed because of overturning the silencer ban. Honestly, It seems like the only American troops that Donald Trump cares about are the Confederate troops."
As the journalist, Ruhle could have responded several ways. She could have pointed out that the Russia-Bounty story is still unconfirmed and the media's pre-determined assumptions have made verifying it more difficult. She also could have pointed out that if groups like the Taliban wanted silencers, they could already get them from other countries.
Ruhle could also say that it is absurd to claim the commander-in-chief cares more about Confederate soldiers than he does active duty Americans, but instead Ruhle offered a lengthy pause before solemnly concluding the segment by agreeing with Watts on the need for more gun control, "My goodness. All right, Shannon, thank you so much for joining me this morning. I really appreciate it. Very concerning to see this spike in gun violence, gun sales. We got to track it. We got to do something about it."
This segment was sponsored by Choice Hotels.
Here is a transcript for the July 15 show:
MSNBC
MSNBC Live with Stephanie Ruhle
7/15/2020
9:48 AM ET
STEPHANIE RUHLE: I do want to ask you on this. On Friday, the Trump Administration lifted a ban on gun silencers to overseas buyers. What does that mean to your average American who wouldn't follow that? And what could the consequences of that decision mean?
SHANNON WATTS: Well, this ban was put in place by the Bush Administration, not exactly a bunch of liberals. And it was to protect troops from ambushes, from silencers made right here in America, and a gun lobbyist, a former gun lobbyist, now works for the Trump Administration and he recommended that be overturned and so we've seen now that Trump has refused to act when Russia put bounties, essentially, on American troops, now endangering troops of being ambushed because of overturning the silencer ban. Honestly, It seems like the only American troops that Donald Trump cares about are the Confederate troops.
RUHLE: My goodness. All right, Shannon, thank you so much for joining me this morning. I really appreciate it. Very concerning to see this spike in gun violence, gun sales. We got to track it. We got to do something about it.
WATTS: Yes, we do.
