U.S. Withdrawing From Global Arms Trade Treaty, Trump Says

WASHINGTON—The Latest on President Trump and the National Rifle Association (all times local):

1 p.m.

President Donald Trump says the U.S. has decided to withdraw its support for a treaty regulating the multibillion-dollar global arms trade. It’s the latest example of the Trump administration’s dislike of international pacts.

Trump said Friday that he has decided to revoke the United States’ status as a signatory of the Arms Trade Treaty regulating international trade in conventional weapons, including small arms, battle tanks, combat aircraft and warships.

He says America is “rejecting this treaty” and “taking our signature back.”

He made the announcement during a speech in Indianapolis, Indiana, to the National Rifle Association, which claims the treaty poses a threat to the Second Amendment. The U.S. signed the treaty in 2013, but never ratified it.

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12:50 p.m.

President Donald Trump says gun owners should get ready to vote for Republicans.

He told the National Rifle Association Friday that his political opponents “want to take away your guns. You better get out there and vote.”

He spoke at the gun rights group’s annual convention for the third year in a row.

The event comes as longtime observers say the group is at its weakest moment in memory, due to serious infighting, financial issues and shifting public sentiment after a series of mass shootings.

Trump said the 2020 presidential and congressional elections are around the corner.

“It seems like it’s a long ways away. It’s not,” he said.

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12:40 p.m.

President Donald Trump is launching his speech to the National Rifle Association with a recitation of grievances about special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation.

Speaking to the gun rights group’s annual convention Friday, Trump said his political enemies “tried for a coup, didn’t work out so well. And I didn’t need a gun for that one, did I?’

The friendly audience applauded the quip, but Trump wasn’t done. He said he’s seen “corruption at the highest levels. A disgrace. Spying. Surveillance trying for an overthrow.”

Mueller’s probe found no evidence that Trump and his campaign colluded with the Russians to influence the 2016 presidential election. But his report contained detail about Trump’s efforts to shut down the investigation, fire Mueller and lie. Some Democrats say there’s ample evidence of obstruction of justice.

Attorney General William Barr said he did not believe the evidence was sufficient to prove that Trump had obstructed justice, but he noted that Mueller’s team did not exonerate the president.

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11:50 a.m.

Vice President Mike Pence says that under the Trump administration, “no one is taking your guns.”

The line got a rousing applause from the National Rifle Association in Indianapolis, where Pence was introducing President Donald Trump at the gun lobby’s annual convention.

Pence, a former Indiana governor, told the crowd, “Under this president and this vice president no one is taking your guns.”

Trump is speaking to the convention for the third year in a row.

The NRA’s convention comes as longtime observers say the group is at its weakest moment in memory, due to serious infighting, financial issues and shifting public sentiment after a series of mass shootings.