Trump, Clinton speeches to highlight US divisions on guns
The dual appearances underscore the opposing positions the candidates have staked out on gun rights and safety, the prominent role the issue might play in the general election and the national policy implications for the next president.
In response to Trump's comments to the NRA, Clinton's campaign said she supports balancing gun rights with commonsense actions to keep people safe.
"Donald Trump's conspiracy theories are simply his latest attempt to divide the American people and distract from his radical and dangerous ideas, like his promise to mandate that every school in America allow guns in their classrooms," Clinton campaign policy adviser Maya Harris said in a statement.
Trump, who often notes that he has a concealed-carry permit, has called for making it easier for law-abiding citizens to carry guns for self-protection in public places, saying they could help prevent terrorist attacks.
California, already among the nation's toughest states on guns, will vote in November on a ballot initiative that would require buyers of ammunition to pass background checks and outlaw high-capacity magazines.
[...] other states are moving to allow people to carry concealed weapons in more places, including on college campuses, and to do so without having to obtain a permit.
"All the political rhetoric right now, and Twitter and Facebook ... is polarizing us, telling us we're in one camp or another," said Jonathan Metzl, a professor at Vanderbilt University who studies guns and mental health.