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An official from the National Rifle Association (NRA) wrote a letter stating that Donald J. Trump no longer has confidence in the organization. The letter emphasized the need for the NRA to regain trust with Trump and his close advisors.
Authored by Danny Hakim
A high-ranking official at the National Rifle Association has stated that President-elect Donald J. Trump no longer trusts the organization. The official believes that the NRA needs to come together and strategize in order to support the Republican Party’s advantage in Congress during the 2026 midterm elections.
Bill Bachenberg, the first vice president of the group and a strong supporter of Trump, informed other board members that Trump was unhappy with the NRA for not doing more to assist him in the recent election. Bachenberg also mentioned that Trump was surprised to learn that the NRA was paying millions of dollars annually to lawyer William A. Brewer III, who has historically supported Democratic candidates with his political donations.
Last week, Mr. Bachenberg and Mark Vaughan, the second vice president of the N.R.A. board, co-signed a letter stating that President Trump and his closest advisors no longer trust the N.R.A. They mentioned that they frequently communicate with them and acknowledge the need to regain their trust, as well as the trust of their members and donors.
In response to a request for comment, Karoline Leavitt, a spokesperson for the Trump-Vance transition, gave a general statement. She said that President Trump supports the belief that all Americans have the right to protect themselves and their families, and he will support those who own guns lawfully.
The letter shows that the N.R.A. has lost a lot of its political power. It used to be a strong lobbying group in Washington, but has been struggling due to scandals and accusations of corruption. The organization is split between those who support its former leader Wayne LaPierre, and another group, led by Mr. Bachenberg, who want to move away from LaPierre’s controversial past.
The newly appointed CEO of the N.R.A., Doug Hamlin, mentioned in a statement that due to the organization’s significant expenses in defending against a lawsuit filed by Letitia James, the attorney general of New York, they would need to focus their efforts strategically in the upcoming 2024 election.
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