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A high-ranking official from the National Rifle Association (N.R.A.) stated in a recent letter that President Donald J. Trump has no confidence in the organization. The official emphasized the need for the N.R.A. to regain the trust of Trump and his close advisors.
Written by Danny Hakim
According to a high-ranking official at the National Rifle Association, President-elect Donald J. Trump has expressed a lack of confidence in the organization. The official stated in a recent letter to other board members that the N.R.A. should regroup in order to support the Republican Party’s advantage in Congress for the 2026 midterm elections.
During a meeting with fellow board members, Bill Bachenberg, the first vice president of the group and a strong supporter of Trump, mentioned that Trump was disappointed that the N.R.A. did not do more to support his election campaign this year. Bachenberg also shared that Trump was surprised to learn that the N.R.A. was paying millions of dollars annually to lawyer William A. Brewer III, who has a history of donating to Democratic politicians. This conversation took place at the group’s annual conference in May.
Mr. Bachenberg stated in a letter last week that President Trump and his closest advisors no longer believe in the N.R.A. This was also signed by Mark Vaughan, the second vice president of the N.R.A. He mentioned that they need to work hard to regain trust from the President, as well as their members and donors.
When asked for a comment, Karoline Leavitt, a spokeswoman for the Trump-Vance transition, responded vaguely by stating that President Trump believes all Americans have a natural right to defend themselves and their families, and he supports law-abiding gun owners.
This letter shows that the N.R.A.’s political power has decreased. The organization used to be a powerful lobbying group in Washington, but it has been struggling due to scandals and accusations of corruption. There are now two factions within the group – one that supports former CEO Wayne LaPierre and another that wants to distance itself from his controversial actions.
Doug Hamlin, the recently appointed leader of the N.R.A., mentioned in a statement that due to the organization’s significant expenses in a legal battle with 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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