As of Thursday night, the only policy detailed on Donald Trump's campaign page emphasized increased border security and an end to birthright citizenship.
The Republican presidential candidate's second official position, released Friday morning, hasn't garnered the skepticism of his immigration reform plan but it does outline long-held beliefs potential GOP voters can firmly stand behind.
"It's been said that the Second Amendment is America's first freedom. That's because the Right to Keep and Bear Arms protects all our other rights," Trump's policy states in its introduction. "We are the only country in the world that has a Second Amendment. Protecting that freedom is imperative.
Trump begins by calling President Obama's record on prosecuting violent criminals "abysmal" and points to the end of Richmond, Virginia's Project Exile, a federal program aimed at curving gun-related offenses by mandating minimum sentences of five years in federal prison. Trump says this should matter to gun owner because "they're the ones who anti-gun politicians and the media blame when criminals misuse guns."
After vaguely connecting gun control groups with mental health issues, the presidential front-runner went on to endorse a slew of pro-gun measures that include reformed background checks, ending bans on certain guns and magazines, and a nationwide right to concealed carry permits.
"That permit should be valid in all 50 states. A driver's license works in every state, so it's common sense that a concealed carry permit should work in every state. If we can do that for driving - which is a privilege, not a right - then surely we can do that for concealed carry, which is a right, not a privilege," Trump said after noting he carries such a permit.
Every state currently has some type of legislation, though language in each law differs. A United States Government Accountability Office report released in July 2012 found all but one state - Illinois - and the District of Columbia allowed individuals to carry concealed handguns. As of March 2012, 39 of the 48 states surveyed also recognize permits from other states.
Trump's last point, presumably in response to the deaths of four Marines in July's shootings at a Chattanooga recruitment center, stresses the importance of arming stationed military personnel. He argues that they are left defenseless despite being trained to safely and responsibly use firearms.
"To make America great again, we need a strong military," Trump wrote. "To have a strong military, we need to allow them to defend themselves."
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