黑料社

WASHINGTON鈥揟he National Rifle Association on Friday endorsed Donald Trump for US president, saying it was time to unite behind the Republican or 鈥渒iss your guns goodbye鈥� if Hillary Clinton is elected.

鈥淲e have to unite and we have to unite right now,鈥� Chris Cox, head of the NRA鈥檚 lobbying arm, said at the gun rights group鈥檚 annual convention in Louisville, Kentucky.

鈥淪o on behalf of the thousands of patriots in this room, the five million NRA members across this country, and the tens of millions who support us, I鈥檓 officially announcing the NRA鈥檚 endorsement of Donald Trump for president.鈥�

The NRA鈥檚 endorsement of a Republican nominee is no surprise.

But the timing is notable because it came months earlier than in the previous two election cycles, suggesting the nation鈥檚 largest gun-rights advocacy group was seeking to help the Republican Party unite conservatives fractured over Trump.

The group鈥檚 chief executive Wayne LaPierre declared it was time to prevent Clinton, the Democratic frontrunner, from gaining the White House and appointing a new justice to fill a Supreme Court vacancy.

鈥淚f she gets just one Supreme Court nomination, Hillary鈥檚 court will hold that the (US Constitution鈥檚) Second Amendment is a government right, not an individual right, and you can kiss your guns goodbye,鈥� LaPierre said.

Trump was welcomed warmly as he received the endorsement, promising: 鈥淚 will not let you down.鈥�

READ: In race for White House, guns no longer a taboo

Gun rights 鈥榰nder threat鈥�

鈥淲e鈥檙e getting rid of gun-free zones, OK? I can tell you,鈥� Trump said to loud applause.

He also took aim at President Barack Obama鈥檚 executive orders on reducing gun violence issued after December鈥檚 San Bernardino shootings, including the plan to crack down on unregulated Internet gun sales.

鈥淭hey鈥檒l be un-signed the first hour that I鈥檓 in office,鈥� Trump pledged.

The New York billionaire touted his own support for gun rights, boasting that he is a 鈥渓ong-term鈥� NRA member and one of 13 million Americans with permits to carry firearms.

鈥淚 happen to be one of them,鈥� he said. 鈥淣obody knows that. Boy, would I surprise somebody if they hit Trump.鈥�

He also quipped that his sons are avid shooters with so many guns that 鈥渟ometimes even I get a little bit concerned.鈥�

Trump sought to paint former secretary of state Clinton as an anti-gun radical and 鈥渄ictator鈥� who will take away Americans鈥� constitutional right to bear arms.

鈥淭he Second Amendment is under a threat like never before,鈥� Trump declared.

鈥淐rooked Hillary Clinton is the most anti-gun, anti-Second-Amendment candidate ever to run for office.鈥�

Clinton has made reducing gun violence a key plan of her campaign platform.

Speaking Sunday at the majority black Canaan Christian Church, also in Louisville, Clinton pledged to build on Obama鈥檚 efforts to keep firearms out of the wrong hands.

鈥淏ut it also means we鈥� have to combat the culture of gun violence,鈥� she said. 鈥淔or too many people, particularly young people in our country today, they seem to think that guns can solve their problem.鈥�

Her campaign says Clinton supports 鈥渟ensible action鈥� to address the issue, including expanding comprehensive background checks, cracking down on illegal gun traffickers, keeping weapons out of the hands of domestic abusers, and repealing an NRA-backed law that shields gun manufacturers and sellers from lawsuits.

The NRA was gearing for battle over the contentious gun control issue.

鈥淵ou want to turn this election into a do-or-die fight over the Second Amendment? Bring it on,鈥� Cox challenged.

Meanwhile Trump repeated his assertion that last year鈥檚 terror strikes in France could have been minimized or even avoided if citizens had been armed.

鈥淧aris is, probably in the world, the toughest place to have a gun,鈥� he said.

鈥淣o guns on the other side, folks. If you would have had guns on the other side鈥� I promise there wouldn鈥檛 have been 130 people killed.鈥�

READ: Thousands call for guns at US Republican convention