U.S. President Barack Obama has called the shooting in Orlando an act of terror and an act of hate. He also said the massacre at a nightclub in the Florida city is a further reminder of how easy it is for Americans to acquire deadly weapons.

Obama said, “We have to decide if that’s the kind of country we want to be.”

Five months ahead of the U.S. presidential election, the issue of gun control appears to have come to the fore as one of the biggest issues in the campaign.

Earlier this year, the U.S. National Rifle Association said it would continue to fight to protect the fundamental, individual right to keep and bear arms as guaranteed under the Constitution.

The remarks came in response to Obama’s executive actions on rifle control, which require gun dealers to conduct background checks. The U.S.’ largest gun advocacy group accused him of political exploitation for announcing the steps in the last year of his presidency.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell also criticized the measures, saying that Congress would track the actions closely to ensure they follow the Constitution and federal law.

But the Orlando terrorist attack, which has taken 49 lives, has changed the situation, and could lead to mass rallies again in U.S. cities.

About three years ago, thousands of marchers rallied in Washington in favor of gun control, including residents of Newtown, Connecticut, where a mass elementary school shooting reignited the gun violence debate.

At the time, the demonstrators backed Obama’s call for a ban on military-style assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines and background checks for all gun sales. They had also urged safety training for all buyers of firearms.

Since the start of his tenure in 2009, Obama’s proposals, the most significant attempt at gun-control in decades, have faced an uphill battle in Congress. The proposals are strongly opposed by gun advocates, such as the powerful NRA.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is reportedly backed by the NRA. Trump said on his Twitter: “Is President Obama going to finally mention the words radical Islamic terrorism? If he doesn’t he should immediately resign in disgrace!”

There is a possibility that the American election campaign will be concise -- “gun control” versus control of “Muslims’ entry into the U.S.”