Donald Trump attempted to visit victims of the El Paso shooting as they were being cared for in hospital but not one of the eight patients would meet with him.
The president arrived at University Medical Center in El Paso, Texas, on Wednesday (August 7) following a mass shooting on Saturday which killed 22 people and injured numerous others.
Trump went to both Dayton, Ohio, where another mass shooting took place on Sunday, and El Paso to meet first responders, law enforcement and victims. However, upon arriving at the Texas hospital he found the eight patients there weren’t interested in a presidential visit.
Speaking to The Washington Post, as per Mail Online, Ryan Mielke, spokesperson for the University Medical Centre, explained:
This is a very sensitive time in their lives. Some of them said they didn’t want to meet with the president. Some of them didn’t want any visitors.
Though they declined a meeting with Trump the patients apparently did accept visits from Democratic officials, including Texas Representative Veronica Escobar and Illinois Representative Jesus ‘Chuy’ Garcia.
For at least some of the victims it’s likely political views played a part when it came to accepting visitors; Trump has been widely criticised for his response in the aftermath of the shootings as he avoided making specific changes to gun laws, named the wrong town when discussing the Ohio shooting and hit out at former Texas congressman Beto O’Rourke.
However, while the University Medical Center patients did not accept the visit, Trump did meet with two victims who had already been discharged as they returned to the hospital with their families to meet the president.
White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said:
[Trump and first lady Melania were] received very warmly by not just victims and their families, but by the many members of medical staff who lined the hallways to meet them. It was a moving visit for all involved.
Trump later took to Twitter to write about his visits to Ohio and Texas though he couldn’t resist dropping in a mention of ‘fake news’.
He wrote:
Leaving El Paso for the White House. What GREAT people I met there and in Dayton, Ohio. The Fake News worked overtime trying to disparage me and the two trips, but it just didn’t work. The love, respect & enthusiasm were there for all to see. They have been through so much. Sad!
Another tweet read:
Just left Dayton, Ohio, where I met with the Victims & families, Law Enforcement, Medical Staff & First Responders. It was a warm & wonderful visit.
Both Dayton and El Paso mayors said they would ‘welcome’ the president in an official capacity though some residents protested the visits, calling for stricter gun laws.
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Emily Brown first began delivering important news stories aged just 13, when she launched her career with a paper round. She graduated with a BA Hons in English Language in the Media from Lancaster University, and went on to become a freelance writer and blogger. Emily contributed to The Sunday Times Travel Magazine and Student Problems before becoming a journalist at UNILAD, where she works on breaking news as well as longer form features.