The News

Largely silent about Florida school shooting victims

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — The Latest on President Donald Trump (all times local):

5 p.m.

President Donald Trump has kept largely silent about the Florida school shooting victims and the escalating gun control debate.

Instead, Trump has been raging at the FBI for what he perceives to be a fixation on the Russia investigation at the cost of failing to deter the attack.

From the privacy of his South Florida estate, Trump has vented about the investigation in a marathon series of tweets over the weekend.

Trump was last seen publicly Friday night when he visited the Florida community reeling from a school shooting that left 17 dead and gave rise to a student-led push for more gun control.

The White House said Sunday the president will host a “listening session” with students and teachers this week. No details were offered on who would attend.

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12:45 p.m.

President Donald Trump will hold a listening session with high school students this week following the deadly school shooting in Florida.

A White House schedule says Trump will host students and teachers Wednesday. He also will meet with state and local officials on school safety on Thursday.

The White House did not immediately answer questions about what students would be attending the session.

Students who survived the shooting in Parkland that left 17 dead have focused their anger on the president, urging him and other elected officials to do something about gun violence.

The president visited the community Friday, seeking out victims at a hospital and meeting first responders.

Otherwise, his attention has been almost fully on the Russia investigation, the subject of a series of tweets he fired posted Sunday.

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9 a.m.

President Donald Trump is venting his fury over the Russia probe.

In a rapid-fire series of tweets from his Florida estate, he’s arguing that the Obama administration bears some of the blame for the election meddling and insisting that he never denied the Russian involvement.

Trump in the past has repeatedly expressed skepticism over Russian interference in the 2016 election that put him in the White House.

Trump also argued Sunday that the ongoing investigations are just what the Russians want, saying: “Investigations and Party hatred, they have succeeded beyond their wildest dreams. They are laughing their asses off in Moscow. Get smart America!”