Photos of a tearful Obama have circulated through social media sites, but what exactly was it that brought him to tears on national television?

On Tuesday, Jan. 5th, Obama spoke about the importance of gun control in the United States. It certainly wasn’t the first time he’s expressed the urgency on stricter laws concerning guns, but there was definitely something more desperate behind his words.

Obama is taking executive action to reduce gun violence, and while many people are rejoicing the fact something is actually being done, many are upset.

The executive action plan consists of 23 executive orders. These orders consist of things such as stricter and more thorough background checks to those who want a gun license. They can be read here.

When his speech began to touch the topic of the Sandy Hook shooting, his eyes visibly filled with tears.

When the shooting took place in 2012, Obama had also spoken about possible gun control laws, and how action was needed to be taken. As is usually the case, any move to take action was ignored until the situation died down.

The Sandy Hook shooting was not the only gun-related incident that prompted Obama to speak so passionately. Similar situations such as Charleston Church shooting, Colorado Springs Planned Parenthood shooting, and more have motivated Obama to fight for a change.

“We know we can’t stop every act of violence, every act of evil in the world,” Obama said in his speech. “But maybe we could try to stop one act of evil, one act of violence.”