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A vice president of the NRA stated in a letter that Donald J. Trump has lost confidence in the organization. The letter emphasized the need for the NRA to regain the trust of Trump and his close advisors.
Written by Danny Hakim
The National Rifle Association has stated that President-elect Donald J. Trump no longer trusts them. They believe that the NRA needs to come together and strategize in order to support the Republican Party’s advantage in Congress during the 2026 midterm elections.
Bill Bachenberg, who is the first vice president of the group and a strong supporter of Trump, mentioned to other board members that Trump was disappointed with the NRA for not doing more to support him during the recent election. Additionally, Bachenberg wrote that Trump was surprised to learn that the NRA was paying millions of dollars annually to a lawyer, William A. Brewer III, who has historically donated more to Democratic candidates.
Last week, Mr. Bachenberg, along with Mark Vaughan, the N.R.A. board’s second vice president, stated in a letter that President Trump and his closest advisors no longer have confidence in the N.R.A. He mentioned that they are in frequent communication with them and acknowledged the need to regain their trust, as well as the trust of the organization’s members and donors.
When questioned, Karoline Leavitt, a spokesperson for the Trump-Vance transition, gave 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 gun owners who follow the law.
The letter indicates that the N.R.A. has lost some of its political power. It used to be a strong lobbying group in Washington, but has faced challenges due to scandals and accusations of corruption. There is now a divide within the organization between those loyal to former CEO Wayne LaPierre and another group, led by Mr. Bachenberg, who want to move away from LaPierre’s controversial past.
The newly appointed chief executive of the N.R.A., Doug Hamlin, mentioned in a statement that due to the organization’s significant spending in a legal case brought by Letitia James, the attorney general of New York, they will need to focus their efforts strategically in the upcoming 2024 election.
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