The announcement was made during the Public Safety Medal of Valor Awards Ceremony at the White House. At the event, Trump referenced last week's school shooting, in which 17 people lost their lives.
"We're also so pleased to be gathered here to recognize… law enforcement officers and first responders and to award them the Medal of Valor," Trump said in his opening remarks. "All of us here today are grieving for the community of Parkland in the great state of Florida… we're working very hard to make sense of these events."
"We must do more to protect our children, we have to do more to protect our children," Trump added, before announcing that in scheduled meetings with lawmakers, students and community leaders he would be discussing how best to protect communities in the US.
"School safety is a top priority for my administration," Trump said. "After the deadly shooting in Las Vegas I directed the attorney general to clarify whether certain bump stock devices, like the one used in Las Vegas, are illegal under current law — that process began in December."
A bump stock, a device used by Stephen Paddock in the Las Vegas shooting in October 2017, allows shooters to fire bullets at a higher frequency than the gun's manufacturing design is supposed to allow for.
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) February 20, 2018
"Just a few moments ago I signed a memorandum directing the attorney general to propose regulations to ban all devices that turn legal weapons into machine guns. The key in all of these efforts… is that we cannot merely take actions that make us feel like we are making a difference, we must actually make a difference," POTUS added, telling US Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who was sitting in the front row, that he expected the guidelines "very soon."
Though it is unclear when exactly the new regulations can be expected, a spokeswoman for the Justice Department told AFP that they would be unveiled "as soon as [the rulemaking process is] duly completed."
This announcement came moments after the Florida House of Representatives opted to vote down a motion that would revive a bill to ban assault rifles and large capacity magazines statewide.
— Troy Kinsey (@TroyKinsey) February 20, 2018
The motion was defeated by a vote of 36-71 as students who survived the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School watched on in disbelief. A total of 17 people died after Nikolas Cruz walked into the high school with an AR-15 on February 14 and opened fire on students and staff. Fourteen more were injured.
