Proposes tighter gun control

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Monday urged Republicans and Democrats to agree on tighter gun control and suggested legislation could be linked to immigration reform after two shootings left 29 people dead and sparked accusations that his rhetoric was part of the problem.

"Republicans and Democrats must come together and get strong background checks, perhaps marrying this legislation with desperately needed immigration reform," Trump tweeted as he prepared to address the nation on two weekend shootings in Texas and Ohio. "We must have something good, if not GREAT, come out of these two tragic events!" Trump wrote.

Trump did not explain how the two pieces of legislation might be tied together. The president has made a crackdown on immigration both legal and illegal a centre piece of his presidency and even more so of late as he campaigns for re-election next year and reaches out to his largely white, working-class base.

Gun culture is deeply rooted in America, and efforts to strengthen firearms regulations remain divisive even though mass shootings are commonplace. Legislation calling for stronger background checks on would-be gun purchasers passed in February in the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives but have not even been put to a vote in the Republican-led Senate.