Trump promises to allow widespread carrying of weapons in US

Baku. 21 May. REPORT.AZ/ The National Rifle Association endorsed Donald Trump on Friday, just before the apparent Republican nominee addressed its annual conference in Louisville, Ky, Report informs.

"To get the endorsement, believe me, is a fantastic honor," Trump said, adding that he and his sons are members of the NRA. 

"They have so many rifles and so many guns, I tell you, sometimes even I get a little concerned," Trump said.

Saying the Second Amendment is "under attack" and "on the ballot in November," Trump laid out his case as the best candidate for protecting gun rights and he hit at Hillary Clinton's stance on guns. He also called her "unqualified to serve as president of the United States." 

"The only way to save our Second Amendment is to vote for someone you know named Donald Trump," he said. "I will never let you down."

Trump also called for gun-free zones, which he also called for in a tweet last summer. "We're getting rid of them," he said. He spoke about the 2015 shooting in Chattanooga, Tenn., that killed five people and occurred in a gun-free zone on a military installation.

However, several Trump properties, including Mar-a-Lago and Trump International Hotel in Chicago, tell NPR that guns are not allowed on the premises.

Clinton and Trump, now likely opponents in the general election, are sure to increasingly clash on the issue. Clinton favors stricter background checks and holding dealers and manufacturers liable for crimes committed with their weapons.

"Hillary Clinton wants to abolish the Second Amendment ... we're going to preserve it, we're going to cherish it, we're going to protect it," Trump said. "Crooked Hillary Clinton is the most anti-gun, anti-Second Amendment candidate ever to run for office." Trump also called Clinton a "heartless hypocrite" for wanting to "take away guns," while having bodyguards for protection.

Trump, meanwhile, said he would "guarantee that law-abiding Americans have the right to self-defense, 100 percent."

"Without defense, we don't have a country," he said, adding that he feels it is more important than economic issues.