Trump, a member of the Republican party, has been accused by Democrats of fueling racial divisions. In response to the killings of 22 people in El Paso, Texas, Trump stated that Americans must denounce racism, bigotry, and white supremacy. The suspect in the shooting, a 21-year-old white man named Patrick Crusius, has been charged with capital murder. Trump did not address allegations that his own comments have worsened racial tensions, nor did he advocate for comprehensive gun control measures. Instead, he emphasized the importance of defeating hateful ideologies. Democrats quickly criticized Trump for avoiding the issue of gun control and instead focusing on mental health and social media. They argued that hatred has no place in America and called for laws to address gun violence. Trump plans to visit El Paso, but some, like Beto O'Rourke, believe he should stay away. O'Rourke tweeted on Monday that the president, who played a role in inciting the hatred that led to the tragic events on Saturday, should not visit El Paso. Instead of causing more division, we should focus on healing. O'Rourke, along with other Democratic candidates running against Trump in the 2020 election, criticized him for his rhetoric on immigrants in connection to the attack in Texas. Five Democrats attended the annual conference of UnidosUS in San Diego on Monday. The group's president, Janet Murguia, referred to Trump as the "radicalizer-in-chief." Joe Biden, the current Democratic frontrunner and former vice president under Barack Obama, addressed the issue of gun attacks in his opening remarks. Biden called on President Trump to denounce the hatred and divisive rhetoric that is leading to violence. Obama, who also advocated for gun restrictions during his presidency, did not directly mention Trump but encouraged Americans to reject divisive language. In a statement, Obama expressed the need to strongly reject the language used by leaders that promotes fear and hatred or normalizes racist beliefs. Trump's 2015 presidential campaign began with negative comments about Mexican immigrants, referring to them as criminals. The recent shootings in El Paso and Dayton resulted in multiple deaths, including Mexican citizens, with the motives of the gunmen unclear. White House adviser Kellyanne Conway confirmed on Fox News that President Trump would be traveling to both El Paso and Dayton, although she did not provide specific dates for either visit. Recent mass shootings by lone attackers have raised concerns about gun violence, as well as the threat of racist and white-supremacist ideologies. Trump, who has been criticized for not addressing domestic extremist groups effectively, stated that he would instruct the US Justice Department to investigate domestic terrorism and propose legislation to ensure that individuals who commit hate crimes and mass murder face the death penalty. He also called for reforms to mental health laws to identify individuals who may be disturbed, and for collaboration with social media companies to identify potential mass shooters. "We need to ensure that individuals who are deemed to be a significant threat to public safety are not able to obtain firearms, and if they already have them, there should be a quick legal process to remove them," he mentioned, likely referring to "red flag" laws. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a supporter of President Trump, discussed with him about a new bill he plans to introduce in September along with Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal. This legislation would provide federal funding to states that implement such laws. "Red flag" laws allow law enforcement to confiscate guns from individuals who are deemed to be potentially violent. Trump also mentioned the need for "strong background checks" for gun buyers in a recent tweet, although he did not provide further details and it was not the main focus of his official statement from the White House. In his speech, he stated that it is mental illness and hatred that causes gun violence, not the gun itself. This statement was quickly criticized. Another Democratic presidential candidate, Senator Amy Klobuchar, accused Trump of avoiding the topic of gun control. She pointed out that while mental illness and hate exist worldwide, the US has a significantly higher rate of gun violence. Following a mass shooting in Las Vegas in 2017, Trump suggested banning bump stocks, which allow semi-automatic weapons to function like machine guns. The ban became active in March, but Trump decided not to make extensive changes to gun laws. Trump suggested on Twitter that bipartisan efforts should be made to enhance background checks, possibly along with immigration reform. However, Democrats, who have opposed Trump's immigration policies, disagreed with this connection. Lawmakers are not expected to come back to Capitol Hill until September after their summer break. The US House of Representatives, led by Democrats, has approved a bill that requires universal background checks for those purchasing guns. Democratic leaders are now pressuring Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican, to bring the Senate back into session to vote on the bill. However, McConnell has called for bipartisan collaboration to address mass shootings, criticizing what he sees as political grandstanding and campaign rhetoric.