Trump comforts Dayton shooting victims during hospital visit

President Trump comforted victims of the mass shooting in Dayton and posed for thumbs-up photos with law enforcement officials, first responders and staff during a hospital visit on Wednesday.

The White House released pictures of the president and first lady Melania Trump’s visit to the Miami Valley Hospital where many of the victims of Sunday’s morning’s shooting are recovering.

In one, Trump and his wife are seen smiling and talking to a young girl who’s sitting in her hospital bed with her head bandaged and flanked by stuffed animals.

In another, the president and first lady are on either side of a man whose arm is in a sling and resting on several pillows.

What appears to be the man’s family crowds around the couple.

Trump, flashing a thumbs-up sign, and the first lady stand in a group of doctors in white coats and pose with a group of police officers.

Sen. Rob Portman, the Ohio Republican who joined Trump and other officials on the tour, said the president was thanking them for “their service every day.”

“But specifically for the heroic actions they took that night and the extraordinary efficiency – within 30 seconds to be able to respond and to take down a killer who otherwise would have killed many more people,” he told reporters.

Ohio’s Democratic senator, Sherrod Brown, and Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley also accompanied Trump at the hospital after initially expressing doubts about his visit.

Trump in a tweet on his way to El Paso aboard Air Force One accused them of misrepresenting his hospital visit.

“Just left Dayton, Ohio, where I met with the Victims & families, Law Enforcement, Medical Staff & First Responders. It was a warm & wonderful visit. Tremendous enthusiasm & even Love. Then I saw failed Presidential Candidate (0%) Sherrod Brown & Mayor Whaley totally misrepresenting what took place inside of the hospital,” he said in a couple of tweets.

“Their news conference after I left for El Paso was a fraud. It bore no resemblance to what took place with those incredible people that I was so lucky to meet and spend time with. They were all amazing!” Trump continued.

Both Brown and Whaley described Trump’s visit to the hospital as “comforting” and said the victims were “grateful” that the president took the time to come to Dayton.

But neither were optimistic that the president would pressure Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to ensure that the Republican-controlled chamber would pass significant gun legislation.

“Republicans for years now have dug in and done the bidding of the NRA, the National Rifle Association. The gun lobby gives millions of dollars to Republican candidates,” Brown told reporters after the hospital visit. “We can’t get anything done in the Senate because Mitch McConnell and the president are in bed with the gun lobby.”

Whaley also said she doubted Congress would act.

“I’m not holding my breath. Because too often we just see complete inaction because they’re just waiting for time for people to forget that nine people died in Dayton because of a gun that shouldn’t be legal frankly.”