President Biden on Tuesday falsely claimed it’s illegal to own a flamethrower while delivering remarks on jobs and the economy, which veered into weapons following Monday’s deadly school shooting in Nashville.
“We need to act. These are weapons of war,” Biden said in Durham, North Carolina. “I’m a Second Amendment guy – I have two shotguns…You know, but our states – everybody thinks somehow the Second Amendment is absolute.”
“You’re not allowed to go out and own an automatic weapon,” he continued. “You’re not allowed to own a machine gun. You’re not allowed to own a flamethrower. You’re not allowed to own so many other things.”
“Why in God’s name do we allow these weapons of war in our streets and at our schools?” he added.
WATCH: BIDEN FALSELY STATES FLAMETHROWERS ARE ILLEGAL
Flamethrowers, however, are widely legal in the United States and are not considered a firearm by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. Flamethrowers are only illegal in Maryland and require a permit in California. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Biden’s administration also said staying away from partisan politics after the Covenant School shooting is impossible. Audrey Hale, a transgender former student at the private Presbyterian school, killed three children and three adults in the attack.
Principal deputy press secretary Olivia Dalton made the comments during a Tuesday Air Force One press gaggle. Dalton stated that partisan politics would be a necessary part of the conversation until Republicans can “get behind” an assault weapons ban and other gun control measures.
“This is yet another attack in a school — six people shot dead,” a reporter said. “Without getting into partisan party politics, what is it about America that this can happen, and we don’t see any meaningful momentum for gun control?”
“What you’ve seen from this president is a commitment to act, adding the most significant bipartisan gun safety legislation in 30 years… This president has been extremely forward leaning and aggressive in trying to tackle this issue of gun safety… but there is a limit to his executive power, and there is a need for Congress to do more in this moment,” Dalton responded.
“You asked me to stay away from partisan politics here, but it’s impossible for me to do that,” Dalton continued. “The reality is we need Republicans in Congress to get on board with an assault weapons ban, to get on board with universal background checks, to get on board with requiring safe storage.”