America's largest gun rights body has declined to send representatives to a town hall with President Barack Obama on gun violence -- just days after he reignited a discussion over the controversial topic.
"The National Rifle Association sees no reason to participate in a public relations spectacle orchestrated by the White House," NRA spokesman Andrew Arulanandam was quoted as saying by CNN.
The NRA strengthened its comment after initially saying the White House had "organised" the event to be held today in Virginia. CNN is moderating the live town hall event.
The NRA, the most influential gun rights group in terms of political persuasion and financial contributions, boasts a membership of about five million people.
A teary-eyed Obama on Tuesday presented a renewed push for further gun regulations, including background checks for firearms purchases through the use of executive action. While pro-gun regulation activists heralded Obama's renewed interest in the issue, his actions have been called into question about whether they would truly help stem gun violence.
Obama said that every single year, more than 30,000 Americans have their lives cut short by guns. He had also cited the grisly shooting incidents at Sikh worshippers at a Gurdwara in Oak Creek in 2012 to rally Congress support against the powerful NRA.
"The United States of America is not the only country on Earth with violent or dangerous people. We are not inherently more prone to violence. But we are the only advanced country on Earth that sees this kind of mass violence erupt with this kind of frequency. It doesn't happen in other advanced countries. It's not even close. And as I've said before, somehow we've become numb to it and we start thinking that this is normal," he said.
"So the gun lobby may be holding Congress hostage right now, but they cannot hold America hostage. We do not have to accept this carnage as the price of freedom," he said.
He said the US Congress still needs to act to stop gun sales. "The folks in this room will not rest until Congress does," Obama said.
"So all of us need to demand a Congress brave enough to stand up to the gun lobby's lies. All of us need to stand up and protect its citizens. All of us need to demand governors and legislatures and businesses do their part to make our communities safer," he said.
On the overall issue of gun control, 48 per cent of Americans support stricter laws, while 51 per cent were opposed, according a CNN/ORC poll released last month.
The NRA and Obama have been bitter enemies on the issue of new gun regulations -- each accusing the other of engaging in politics instead of working to find solutions to end gun violence.
