Protests have greeted Donald Trump’s appearance in Ohio and Texas where he visited survivors of last weekend’s mass shootings and saluted members of the emergency services.
The president and first lady Melania Trump began their visit at the hospital where many of the victims of Sunday’s attack in Dayton were treated.
Outside Miami Valley Hospital, at least 200 protesters gathered, hoping to send a message to the president that they want action on gun control. Some said he was not welcome in their city.
The mayors of both cities have called for the president to change the way he talks about immigrants.
During the flight from Dayton to El Paso, Mr Trump tweeted photos of himself visiting wounded patients
The people I met today in Dayton are the finest anywhere! pic.twitter.com/sBxKZWExcR
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 7, 2019
He posed for photos with medical staff and spoke with law enforcement officials, giving a “thumbs up” in one.
He tweeted: “The people I met in Dayton are the finest anywhere!”
Multiple protests are planned, and Democratic presidential candidates continued to criticise him, including Beto O’Rourke, who will address a counter-rally in his home town of El Paso during the president’s visit.
Speaking in Iowa, the Democratic presidential front-runner said Mr Trump is incapable of offering the moral leadership that has defined the presidency over the course of history.
He said voters “cannot let this man be re-elected president of the United States of America”.
“My critics are political people,” Mr Trump said, noting the apparent political leanings of the gunman in the Dayton killings and suggesting the man was supportive of Democrats.
“Had nothing to do with President Trump,” he said. “So these are people that are looking for political gain.”
“Meanwhile, the Dayton, Ohio, shooter had a history of supporting political figures like Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, and ANTIFA.” @OANN I hope other news outlets will report this as opposed to Fake News. Thank you!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 7, 2019
He also denied his rhetoric had anything to do with the violence, claiming instead that he “brings people together. Our country is doing incredibly well”.
Mr Trump travelled first to Ohio, before heading to Texas.
White House officials have said the visits will be similar to those he has paid to grieving communities in the past, with the Republican president and the first lady saluting first responders and spending time with mourning families and survivors.
“For the president, I think he should just be careful of what he says, his words, because this is what happens. You preach and you say things, and this is what happens. This is what happened to my hometown. To my people. No human has to go through this.” — Adria https://t.co/5egdp7MEFA
— Beto O’Rourke (@BetoORourke) August 7, 2019
“We’ll be meeting with first responders, law enforcement and some of the victims and paying my respects and regards,” Mr Trump said on Wednesday morning.
“It’s a terrific opportunity, really, to congratulate some of the police and law enforcement. The job they’ve done was incredible. Really incredible.”
White House spokesman Hogan Gidley said Mr Trump also wants “to have a conversation” about ways to head off future deadly episodes.
“We can do something impactful to prevent this from ever happening again, if we come together,” the spokesman said.
Mr Trump insisted that Congress was making progress on possible new gun legislation. He said he has had “plenty of talks” with legislators in recent days and there is “a great appetite, and I mean a very strong appetite, for background checks”.
