Trump in Iowa: More guns could stop mass shootings

SPENCER, Ia. — Donald Trump told a crowd in Iowa Saturday that if more people had guns they could have stopped recent shootings in Paris and California.

“Take Paris," he said. "If a few people had guns on their belt, on their shin, in their jacket, instead of being slaughtered — you might have lost some, you definitely would have lost the bad guys — but it wouldn’t have been hundreds of people with many more expected to die, that are in the hospital dying now. Then you go to the tragedy that we just had in California."

This week, two people opened fire at a center for people with developmental disabilities in San Bernardino, Calif., killing 14. The Federal Bureau of Investigation has said it is investigating that incident as an act of terror. The shooting follows a series of coordinated attacks across Paris on Nov. 13 when terrorists linked to the Islamic State killed more than 120 people.

The businessman assured the audience that he is "the biggest of all supporters" of the Second Amendment and praised the National Rifle Association.

He also reiterated that he is not soliciting donations and does not benefit from large fundraising organizations.

"The only one I'm working for is you, folks," he told the crowd, saying other candidates are beholden to special interest money. "I'm the only one. I'm the only one. Nobody's going to control me except you people."

That message is resonating with Iowa voters, who say they're tired of seeing politicians catering to the whims of major donors.

"I’m tired of people that have somebody in their back pocket who’s telling them what to do," said Rita Lucht, a Milford resident who works in manufacturing. "He doesn’t."

Lucht said ahead of the event she was nervous about Trump as a candidate because he sometimes lacks tact in his delivery. But after seeing him speak Saturday, she said she's no longer concerned and would consider caucusing for him — something she doesn't normally do.

"Sometimes you’ve got to play hardball," she said. "You can’t be the nicey-nice person, because we’re losing respect from the world."

Rick Sievers, a farmer from Newell, said he doesn't plan to caucus, but liked what he heard from Trump on Saturday.

"I’m just tired of politicians, I guess," he said. "I think he talks from the heart. Whether he can do anything, we’ll never know until we get him in. But I think he’s on the right side of things. I think he’s more like me than anybody else is."

With Iowa's first-in-the-nation caucuses quickly approaching, Trump urged attendees like Sievers to do more than attend rallies and to get out and support him Feb. 1.

"You've got to get out to caucus," he said. "... If you caught your husband cheating the night before, you got to go to the caucus."

AT THE EVENT

SETTING: Trump appeared at the Clay County Regional Events Center in Spencer.  

CROWD: More than 1,200 people attended the event. Trump, who has recently drawn crowds of thousands at in other states, said he liked this size venue because it felt more intimate. “You can’t get the same feeling in a stadium," he said. "This is like a fireside chat. I love it.”

REACTION: Many in attendance said they were impressed by Trump and plan to caucus for him. Others said Trump isn't among their favorite candidates, but they attended because they were curious to hear what he had to say. 

WHAT'S NEXT: Immediately after his stop in Spencer, Trump headed to Davenport for a rally there. He does not yet have other Iowa stops scheduled.