Murdoch's "New York Post" urges Trump to ban assault weapons

One of President Trump's favorite newspapers, the New York Post, is delivering him a message.

"President Trump, America is scared and we need bold action," Monday's front page reads. "It's time to... BAN WEAPONS OF WAR."

The blunt cover comes after twin mass shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, over the weekend.

An editorial inside the tabloid calls for "the return of an assault-weapons ban."

The New York Post is controlled by Rupert Murdoch, the right-wing media mogul who keeps in close touch with the president.

This is not the first time the Post has called for such a ban. But it is still striking to see the message on the front page of the paper, where Trump is likely to see it. Trump grew up reading the paper in New York City and continues to receive copies in Washington.

"America is terrified," the editorial reads. "President Trump, you are positioned to assuage that fear. On gun control, you are a pragmatic centrist, someone who knows there is a vast majority of Americans who are not to the extreme left or right on this issue. They just want the killings to stop."

The editorial acknowledges Trump's cozy relationship with the NRA, but says Trump should appeal to the great number of Americans "who hunt or keep guns for self-defense but are appalled by the endless string of mass shootings."

The Post says an "assault-weapons ban" would be "aimed at the likes of the El Paso shooter, who coldly plotted how to kill as many as possible, as quickly as possible. Let's make that a lot tougher for the next monster."

The Post made a similar plea after the Parkland, Florida, massacre in February 2018. A front page back then said "MR. PRESIDENT, PLEASE ACT," with the subtitle, "We need sensible gun control to stop the slaughter."

The editorial said "it's time, Mr. President, to do something. America is waiting on you."

Eighteen months later, the paper is conveying a similar message.

Murdoch also encouraged a ban on "automatic weapons" after the elementary school killings in Newtown, Connecticut, in 2012.

He tweeted, "When will politicians find courage to ban automatic weapons?" and asked for some "bold leadership action" from then-President Obama.

By Brian Stelter, CNN Business via The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2019 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.

The Gayly 8/5/2019 @ 8:25 a.m. CST.