Transition of power from
Transitioning from
Transition of Power
Prom
Backed by
An official from the National Rifle Association (N.R.A.) stated in a recent letter that President Donald J. Trump no longer has confidence in the organization. The N.R.A. vice president emphasized the need for the group to regain trust with Trump and his close advisors.
Written by Danny Hakim
According to a high-ranking official at the National Rifle Association, President-elect Donald J. Trump no longer has confidence in the organization. The official expressed in a letter to other board members that the N.R.A. should come together to support the Republican Party’s advantage in Congress for the 2026 midterm elections.
Bill Bachenberg, the group’s initial vice president and a strong supporter of Trump, informed other board members that Trump was disappointed that the NRA did not do more to support him during 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 donated more to Democratic candidates.
Last week, Mr. Bachenberg stated in a letter co-signed by Mark Vaughan that President Trump and his closest advisors no longer trust the N.R.A. He mentioned that he frequently communicates with them and emphasized the need to regain their trust, as well as the trust of the organization’s members and donors.
When asked for a comment, Karoline Leavitt, a spokeswoman for the Trump-Vance transition, gave a general response. She stated that President Trump supports the idea that every American has the right to protect themselves and their loved ones, and he will support those who follow the law as gun owners.
The letter shows that the N.R.A. is not as politically powerful as it used to be. It used to be a strong lobbying group in Washington, but it has been struggling due to scandals and accusations of corruption. The organization is split between those who support its former leader Wayne LaPierre and others, like Mr. Bachenberg, who want to move away from LaPierre’s controversial reputation.
Doug Hamlin, the newly appointed leader of the N.R.A., explained in a statement that due to the organization’s significant spending in a legal battle with Letitia James, New York’s attorney general, they needed to focus their efforts strategically for the upcoming 2024 election.
We are experiencing difficulties accessing the content of the article.
Kindly activate JavaScript in your browser’s settings.
We appreciate your understanding as we confirm access. If you are currently using Reader mode, please close it and sign in to your Times account, or consider subscribing to access all of The Times content.
We appreciate your understanding as we confirm access.
Are you currently a member? Please sign in.
Interested in gaining access to all of The Times’ content? Subscribe
Prom
Index of Pages
Navigation to Site Information
