Video | 25 years of presidential speeches against school shootings in the United States

From Bill Clinton to Joe Biden, American leaders have taken different stances on gun violence in schools

Joe Biden (left) and Bill Clinton (right) at tributes following the Uvalde and Columbine school shootings, respectively.Photo: AP / Getty | Video: Reuters

The school shooting in Columbine on April 20, 1999, marked a before and after in the United States. Although it was not the deadliest to date, it was one of the first shootings to have live media coverage on television and online.

In his speech after the massacre, then-president Bill Clinton cited Bible verses and spoke about nationwide gun violence. Since his government, U.S. presidents have adopted different rhetoric and positions on school shootings, as seen in these speeches compiled by EL PAÍS in this video.

Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAÍS USA Edition


More information

Archived In