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According to a gun group official, Donald J. Trump no longer has confidence in the N.R.A. The official stated in a recent letter that the organization must work to regain the trust of Trump and those close to him.
Written by Danny Hakim
A high-ranking official at the National Rifle Association stated that President-elect Donald J. Trump no longer has confidence in the organization. The official expressed in a letter to other board members the importance of the N.R.A. regrouping to support the Republican Party’s advantage in Congress for the 2026 midterm elections.
During a meeting with board members, Bill Bachenberg, the first vice president of the group and a strong supporter of Trump, mentioned that Trump was disappointed in the NRA for not doing more to support his campaign during the recent election. Additionally, Bachenberg wrote that Trump was surprised to learn that the NRA was paying a lawyer, William A. Brewer III, millions of dollars annually, even though Brewer has historically donated more to Democratic candidates. This conversation took place at the group’s annual conference in May.
Last week, Mr. Bachenberg, along with Mark Vaughan, the second vice president of the N.R.A. board, stated in a letter that President Trump and his closest advisors no longer trust the N.R.A. They mentioned that they are in regular communication with them and that there is a lot of effort needed to regain their trust, as well as the trust of N.R.A. members and donors.
When asked for her opinion, 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 defend themselves and their loved ones, and he will support those who own guns and follow the law.
The recent letter shows that the N.R.A. has lost some of its political power. It used to be a powerful lobbying group in Washington, but it has been struggling due to scandals and accusations of corruption. The organization is split between supporters of its former leader Wayne LaPierre and another group, led by Mr. Bachenberg, that wants to distance itself from LaPierre’s controversial past.
In a statement, Doug Hamlin, the new chief executive of the N.R.A., mentioned that due to the significant expenses incurred in defending against a civil case by Letitia James, the attorney general of New York, the group needed to focus its efforts strategically in the 2024 election cycle.
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