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A high-ranking member of the National Rifle Association (N.R.A.) has stated that President Trump no longer has confidence in the organization. The N.R.A. official conveyed in a recent letter that the group is in need of regaining trust with Trump and his close advisors.
Written by Danny Hakim
The National Rifle Association’s top official stated in a recent letter to board members that President-elect Donald J. Trump no longer has confidence in the organization. The official emphasized the need for the NRA to regroup 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 disappointed during this year’s election that the NRA did not do more to support him. Bachenberg also mentioned that Trump was surprised during a conversation at the group’s annual conference in May that the NRA was spending millions of dollars each year on a lawyer, William A. Brewer III, who has historically donated more to Democratic candidates.
Mr. Bachenberg stated in a recent letter, along with N.R.A. board’s second vice president Mark Vaughan, that President Trump and his closest advisers no longer trust the N.R.A. He mentioned that they are in frequent communication with them and recognize the need to regain their trust, as well as that of their members and donors.
When asked for a comment, Karoline Leavitt, a spokesperson for the Trump-Vance transition, responded with a general statement. She mentioned that President Trump supports the belief that all Americans have a natural right to defend themselves and their families and that he will support law-abiding gun owners.
The letter shows that the N.R.A. is no longer as influential in politics as it once was. After facing scandal and allegations of corruption for years, the organization is now divided between those loyal to its former CEO Wayne LaPierre and another group, led by Mr. Bachenberg, that wants to distance themselves from LaPierre’s controversial actions.
The new CEO of the NRA, Doug Hamlin, mentioned in a statement that due to the organization’s significant spending on legal defense against a lawsuit by Letitia James, the Attorney General of New York, they will need to focus their efforts more strategically in the upcoming 2024 election.
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