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An official from the National Rifle Association (NRA) stated in a recent letter that President Trump no longer has confidence in the organization. The letter emphasized the need for the NRA to regain trust with Trump and his closest advisors.
Written by Danny Hakim.
The National Rifle Association’s top official stated that President-elect Donald J. Trump no longer has confidence in the organization. The official emphasized 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 for the 2026 midterm elections.
During 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 NRA for not providing more support during the recent election. Bachenberg also shared that Trump was surprised to learn that the NRA was paying millions of dollars annually to lawyer William A. Brewer III, who has historically donated more to Democratic political causes. This conversation took place at the NRA’s annual conference in May.
Last week, Mr. Bachenberg wrote in a letter along with Mark Vaughan, the second vice president of the N.R.A., that President Trump and his closest advisors no longer have confidence in the organization. He mentioned that he frequently communicates with them and emphasized the need to regain their trust, as well as that of the N.R.A.’s members and donors.
When questioned for a response, Karoline Leavitt, a spokeswoman 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 safeguard themselves and their loved ones. He is committed to protecting responsible gun owners.
The letter shows that the N.R.A. is not as powerful in politics as it used to be. It was once a very influential lobbying group in Washington, but it has been struggling due to scandals and accusations of corruption. The organization is now split between supporters of its former leader Wayne LaPierre and another faction, led by Mr. Bachenberg, that wants to distance itself from LaPierre’s controversial past.
Doug Hamlin, the newly appointed CEO of the N.R.A., expressed in a statement that due to the organization’s significant financial investment in defending itself against a lawsuit filed by Letitia James, the attorney general of New York, they will need to strategically focus their efforts during the 2024 election period.
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