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A vice president of the National Rifle Association (N.R.A.) wrote a letter stating that President Trump no longer has confidence in the organization. The letter emphasized the need for the N.R.A. to regain trust with Trump and his close advisors.
Written by Danny Hakim.
The National Rifle Association’s top official stated in a letter to board members that President-elect Donald J. Trump no longer has confidence in the organization. The official emphasized the need for the N.R.A. to reorganize in order to support the Republican Party’s advantage in Congress for the 2026 midterm elections.
Bill Bachenberg, the group’s initial vice president and a strong supporter of Trump, informed other board members that Trump was disappointed during this year’s election because the NRA had not pledged to offer more support to help him secure victory. Bachenberg also mentioned that Trump was surprised during a discussion at the group’s yearly conference in May, as he couldn’t believe that the NRA was spending millions of dollars annually on a lawyer, William A. Brewer III, who has historically supported Democratic political candidates through donations.
Last week, Mr. Bachenberg wrote in a letter that President Trump and his closest advisors no longer trust the N.R.A. This statement was also signed by Mark Vaughan, the N.R.A. board’s second vice president. He mentioned that he frequently communicates with them and acknowledges the need to regain their trust, along with the trust of the organization’s members and donors.
When asked for a comment, Karoline Leavitt, a spokeswoman for the Trump-Vance transition team, gave a general response stating that President Trump believes all Americans have a natural right to protect themselves and their families, and he will support gun owners who follow the law.
The letter shows that the N.R.A. is no longer as powerful in politics as it once was. It has been struggling due to scandals and corruption accusations. There is a divide within the group between those who support the former CEO Wayne LaPierre and those, like Mr. Bachenberg, who want to move away from LaPierre’s controversial past.
Doug Hamlin, the newly appointed CEO of the N.R.A., stated that due to the organization’s significant spending on defending itself in a lawsuit filed by Letitia James, the Attorney General of New York, they will need to focus their efforts strategically in the upcoming 2024 election.
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