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A vice president of the N.R.A. has stated in a recent letter that Donald J. Trump no longer has confidence in the organization. The letter emphasizes the need for the N.R.A. to regain trust with Trump and his close advisors.
Written by Danny Hakim
According to a top official at the National Rifle Association, President-elect Donald J. Trump no longer has confidence in the organization. The official expressed in a recent letter to board members that the N.R.A. must regroup in order to support the Republican Party’s advantage in Congress during the midterm elections in 2026.
Bill Bachenberg, the group’s initial vice president and a strong supporter of Trump, informed other board members that Trump was disappointed with the NRA for not providing more support during the recent election. Bachenberg also mentioned that during a discussion at the annual conference in May, Trump was surprised to learn that the NRA was paying millions of dollars annually to lawyer William A. Brewer III, who has historically donated to Democratic causes.
Mr. Bachenberg stated in a recent letter, co-signed by Mark Vaughan, that President Trump and his closest advisors no longer trust the N.R.A. He mentioned that he communicates with them frequently and believes there is a lot of work to be done to regain their trust, as well as the trust of members and donors.
In response to a request for comment, Karoline Leavitt, a spokesperson for the Trump-Vance transition, gave a general statement. She mentioned that President Trump supports the idea that all Americans have a natural right to protect themselves and their families, and he will stand up for gun owners who follow the law.
The recent letter shows that the N.R.A.’s political power has decreased. In the past, the N.R.A. was a powerful lobbying group in Washington, but it has faced scandals and corruption accusations that have weakened its influence. There is now a division within the group, with some members supporting former CEO Wayne LaPierre and others, like Mr. Bachenberg, wanting to distance themselves from LaPierre’s controversial reputation.
Doug Hamlin, who is now the N.R.A.’s main leader, stated that due to the organization spending a lot of money on a legal case brought by Letitia James, the attorney general of New York, they will need to focus their resources strategically for the 2024 election.
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