President Donald Trump has directed the Justice Department to ban gun modifications, according to the Associated Press.

  • Trump directs Justice Dept. to ban gun modifications
  • White House says president will be meeting w/ students
  • Trump indicated he's open to strengthening fed. background checks

The president reportedly signed a memo Tuesday urging the department to propose regulations to "ban all devices" like the rapid-fire bump stocks involved in 2017's Las Vegas massacre.

Seeking to show action days after a deadly high school shooting in Parkland, Florida, President Trump spoke during a White House ceremony recognizing bravery by the nation's public safety officers.
 
"We must move past clichés and tired debates and focus on evidence based solutions and security measures that actually work," Trump said.

The recent White House statement comes in the wake of increased pressure put on legislators from parents, children and lawmakers alike to address gun reforms following the Parkland massacre. Seventeen people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School were shot and killed.

White House officials say the president will be meeting with students, teachers and state and local officials to discuss ways of providing more school safety and address gun violence.
 
Trump has also indicated he is open to a limited strengthening of federal background checks on gun purchases.

The bipartisan background check legislation would be aimed at ensuring that federal agencies and states accurately report relevant criminal information to the FBI. It was introduced after the Air Force failed to report the criminal history of the gunman who slaughtered more than two dozen people at a Texas church.

The main action Trump has taken on guns has been to sign a resolution blocking an Obama-era rule designed to keep guns out of the hands of certain mentally disabled people. The president has voiced strong support for gun rights and the National Rifle Association.

The Florida House recently shot down a motion to take up a ban on weapons such as the AR-15. The motion failed 36-71, with almost every Republican voting no.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.