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According to a vice president of the NRA, Donald J. Trump no longer has confidence in the organization. The official expressed in a letter that the NRA must work towards regaining 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 recent letter to board members that the N.R.A. must regroup in order to support the Republican Party’s current 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 show more support for his campaign during the recent election. Bachenberg also mentioned that Trump was surprised to learn that the NRA was paying a large sum of money annually to lawyer William A. Brewer III, who has historically donated to Democrats. This conversation took place at the group’s yearly conference in May.
According to Mr. Bachenberg’s letter, President Trump and his closest advisors no longer trust the N.R.A. This information was also confirmed by Mark Vaughan, the second vice president of the N.R.A. Bachenberg mentioned that he frequently communicates with them and that there is a lot of effort needed to regain their trust, as well as the trust of the members and donors of the organization.
When questioned, Karoline Leavitt, a spokesperson for the Trump-Vance transition, provided a general response. She stated that President Trump supports the idea that all Americans have a natural right to protect themselves and their loved ones, and he will support those who own guns legally.
The recent letter shows that the N.R.A. is not as influential in politics as it used to be. It has faced scandals and accusations of corruption, causing it to lose some of its power in Washington. The organization is split between those who support its former leader Wayne LaPierre and those, like 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 the organization had to focus on specific areas in the 2024 election due to spending a significant amount on defending itself against a lawsuit filed by Letitia James, the attorney general of New York.
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