The New York Post is using Friday's cover to send a message to President Trump following the school shooting that took place in Parkland, Florida, on Wednesday. The message? "Please act."
The newspaper's front cover on Friday used the headline "Mr. President, please act" along with a photo of two women crying. Under the Post's headline it reads, "The Post says: We need sensible gun control to help stop the slaughter."
The front page stirred conversation on social media as soon as it was tweeted on Thursday night. Some users showed surprise that it was the Post -- which is owned by Rupert Murdoch -- that published the cover rather than its cross-town rival, the New York Daily News, which has in the past used its front page to take a stance on gun control.
Tomorrow’s cover: Mr. President, it’s time to do something about guns https://t.co/OmSO1GhPPY pic.twitter.com/cYnS3pfdM3
— New York Post (@nypost) February 16, 2018
"Yet another crusading gun control cover in the New York Daily Ne--wait, what?" tweeted New York Times political reporter and CNN analyst, Alex Burns, along with the photo of the cover.
The Times' White House correspondent Maggie Haberman, tweeted, "The president's favorite paper" along with the image.
The Post editorial board also wrote an opinion piece in which they implored the president to take action on mass shootings that have plagued the country.
"Mr. President, this is your moment. You can keep your promises to the kids and the parents and honor your offer to do 'whatever we can do.' Prove how much you truly want to curb the carnage — and refuse to play hostage to the extremists on either side of these issues," the paper wrote. "You have the famous presidential bully pulpit — and you also have Twitter... It's time, Mr. President, to do something. America is waiting on you."
The front page for the Post followed the New York Daily News using its cover on Thursday to make a statement by showing a gun pointing at the viewer with the headline, "This Is Us."
A 19-year-old man gunned down students and staff with a rifle at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, killing at least 17 students and adults. It is at least the eighth shooting at a U.S. school this year
Trump responded to the latest American school shooting on Thursday by speaking directly to children in the country.
"I want to speak now directly to America's children, especially those who feel lost alone confused or even scared," he said in televised remarks from the White House Diplomatic Reception Room. "I want you to know that you are never alone, and you never will be."
