The National Rifle Association has banned its members from carrying their firearms during its annual forum while US President Donald Trump and his deputy Mike Pence are in attendance.

A White House official said that Mr Trump is expected to attend the event in Dallas on Friday, with Mr Pence set to speak at the NRA’s leadership forum on the same day.

The NRA has said on its website that the US Secret Service will be responsible for security when the two politicians are at the event.

Some students and their families from Parkland, the Florida high school where 17 people were killed in February, criticised the NRA on social media for what they said was hypocrisy.

David Hogg, a student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, who has pushed for stricter gun control since the shooting, said: “It’s ironic that they feel they need to ban guns to protect themselves, especially after their main philosophy has been more guns equals more protection, yet they don’t think they need to protect our kids in the same way.”

Guns were also banned during Mr Trump’s appearance at the NRA’s annual meeting in Atlanta last year.

Alice Tripp, an NRA member and the legislative director of the membership-based Texas State Rifle Association, said she sees “not even a little bit” of a problem with attendees not being able to carry guns during that portion of the meeting.

She noted the Secret Service has its own view on how to ensure the safety of the people they protect.

NRA spokeswoman Jennifer Baker said the group’s policy is that firearms are permitted in accordance with local law. She referred questions about the Secret Service’s policies to that agency.