Former US President Donald Trump on Friday received widespread criticism for dancing onstage at a National Rifle Association (NRA) conference on Friday in the aftermath of the Uvalde school shooting.

On Friday, Trump kicked off his appearance at the convention by awkwardly reading out the names of the victims who were shot dead with an AR-15-style rifle in Uvalde a few days earlier.

The former US President then launched a tirade against Democrats for “virtue cycling” in the wake the massacre, blaming the shooting on everything but guns. And then he did the unthinkable. He did a little dance at the end.

It drew widespread criticism and many viewed it as extremely disrespectful to the deceased victims.

The convention was held just three days after 18-year-old Salvador Ramos stormed into an elementary school in Texas and shot 21 people dead.

Also Read: Trump at NRA meet: What the former President said about Uvalde shooting

California Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat and frequent critic of Republican policies in Texas, was among the most prominent figures to lash out at Trump’s dance. The clip featured in the tweet that he shared Saturday has since been viewed over 2.7 million times.  

“The kids died. Trump danced,” Democratic Representative Eric Swalwell of California tweeted. 

Adam Parkhomenko, a Democratic political strategist accused  Trump of dancing while “[the victim’s] little bodies aren’t even in the ground.”

“Trump danced at the NRA convention. Their little bodies aren’t even in the ground. And he’s f**king dancing,” he tweeted Friday.

Also Read: With ongoing protests, National Rifle Association rejects gun reform in US

Trump made some controversial comments at the convention.  He did not advocate for gun reforms, instead suggesting that  teachers should be carrying guns. “There is no sign more inviting to a mass killer than a sign that declares a gun free zone,” he said. 

He want so far as to put some of the blame on school administrators for “making excuses” and not “confronting bad behavior head on and quickly.”

The former President, however, proposed ensuring classroom doors are lockable from the inside as a way to cut down on school shootings.