Donald Trump Jr brags that he let his 12-year-old son build an AR-15

‘I got to do the most Texas thing ever,’ the former president’s son told a cheering crowd. ‘Donny, a little kid from New York City ... got to make his own AR-15’

Twitter is divided over Donald Trump Jr’s parenting skills after he bragged that he’d let his 12-year-old son build an AR-15.

Mr Trump, an outspoken gun control opponent, recounted the father-son activity during a rally for his own father, former president Donald Trump, in Conroe, Texas on Saturday.

“Oh, I love Texas,” Donald Jr told the crowd. “And today, by the way, I got to do the most Texas thing ever. Since we came in late last night, I was able to bring my little son Donny to my buddy Dion’s manufacturing facility at F-1 Firearms. And Donny, a little kid from New York City – now Florida, thank God – got to make his own AR-15.”

This drew raucous cheers from the audience. On Twitter, meanwhile, reactions were more mixed.

“I guess showing your son how to throw a football or dribble a basketball is overrated,” one user commented sarcastically.

“Gotta train those rich kids early how to go on a millionaire safari trip to a contained area where they get to slaughter big game endangered animals,” another quipped.

“Don Jr is one sick puppy,” someone else said simply.

AR-15-style guns have a particularly tragic history in the United States. The lightweight semi-automatic rifles have been used in some of the deadliest mass shootings in US history, including at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012, the Las Vegas Strip in 2017, First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs in 2017, and Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in 2018, among others.

But not everyone on Twitter was horrified that Mr Trump would use such a weapon as a parenting tool. Many loudly proclaimed their support.

“I don’t see the problem,” one reader tweeted.

“GOTTA LOVE THIS,” another wrote.

“HELL YEA,” another wrote.

“Good for him - A good Dad,” another commented.

“Wish my dad let me do this at 12,” a self-described “common sense conservative” tweeted. “Fun stuff.”

The Independent has reached out to Donald Trump Jr for comment.