Today marks a devastating tragedy for the city of Jacksonville, Florida, and the United States at large, as a mass shooting occurred at an eSports gaming tournament at the Jacksonville Landing. Three people, including the shooter, are dead and eleven others have been injured.
Despite the severity of the situation, Donald Trump’s response to the Jacksonville killings has been noticeably absent. Although he has tweeted about other matters over the weekend, there have yet to be any public statements issued by the president on the Jacksonville tragedy.
The lack of a response from Trump is notable, especially considering his quick responses to other recent tragedies. After the deadly school shooting in Santa Fe, Texas, he released a statement that leaves no question as to where his sympathies lie. After the shooting in Jacksonville, however, the president has not commented.
Given past statements and actions, experts and critics of the president are speculating as to why this response is so lacking. It is not uncommon for the president to avoid commenting on issues of gun violence, though the lack of response with the Jacksonville killings is new.
The lack of response to the tragedy in Jacksonville could also be seen as an indication of the lack of validity that the White House has attached to the victims of the shootings. While other mass shootings have at least provoked some public outrage on the part of the president, the Jacksonville killings have been met with mostly silence.
The absence of words from Trump has been especially striking when contrasted with the outrage expressed by local and state officials and community members. It remains to be seen whether the president will acknowledge the tragedy and offer condolences to the victims’ families and friends. For now, residents of Jacksonville and beyond await a response from the Oval Office.
