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A vice president of the National Rifle Association (N.R.A.) wrote a letter stating that Donald J. Trump no longer trusts the organization. The N.R.A. official emphasized the need for the group to regain trust with Trump and his close advisors.
Written by Danny Hakim
A high-ranking official at the National Rifle Association has stated that President-elect Donald J. Trump no longer has confidence in the organization. The official emphasized in a letter to board members that the N.R.A. must regroup in order to support the Republican Party’s advantage in Congress for the midterm elections in 2026.
At a meeting with fellow board members, Bill Bachenberg, the group’s first vice president and a strong supporter of Trump, mentioned that Trump was disappointed with the N.R.A. for not doing more to support him in the recent election. Bachenberg also noted that Trump was surprised to learn that the N.R.A. was spending millions of dollars annually on a lawyer, William A. Brewer III, who has historically donated more to Democratic candidates. This conversation took place at the group’s annual conference in May.
Last week, Mr. Bachenberg wrote in a letter, co-signed by Mark Vaughan, that President Trump and his close advisors no longer have confidence in the N.R.A. He mentioned that he frequently communicates with them and emphasized the need to regain their trust, as well as that of the organization’s members and donors.
In response to a request for a 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 defend themselves and their families, and he will support gun owners who follow the law.
The recent letter indicates that the N.R.A. no longer holds as much political power as it once did. Despite being a powerful lobbying group in the past, it has been struggling due to various scandals and accusations of corruption. There is now a division within the organization between supporters of former CEO Wayne LaPierre and another faction, led by Mr. Bachenberg, that aims to move away from LaPierre’s controversial leadership.
Doug Hamlin, the new leader of the National Rifle Association (N.R.A.), mentioned in a statement that due to significant financial resources being used to defend against a lawsuit by Letitia James, the attorney general of New York, the organization needs to focus its efforts strategically in the upcoming 2024 election.
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