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A vice president of the N.R.A. wrote a letter stating that Donald J. Trump no longer has confidence in the organization. The letter emphasized the need for the N.R.A. to regain trust with Trump and his close advisors.
Written by Danny Hakim
According to a top official at the National Rifle Association, President-elect Donald J. Trump no longer has confidence in the organization. The official stated in a letter to fellow board members that the NRA needs to regroup in order to support the Republican Party’s advantage in Congress during the 2026 midterm elections.
During a recent meeting with board members, Bill Bachenberg, the group’s first vice president and a strong supporter of Trump, mentioned that Trump was disappointed that the N.R.A. hadn’t done more to support him in the election. Bachenberg also shared that Trump was surprised to learn that the N.R.A. was paying millions of dollars annually to a lawyer, William A. Brewer III, who had previously donated to Democratic political campaigns.
According to Mr. Bachenberg, President Trump and his closest advisors no longer have confidence in the N.R.A. This was mentioned in a letter he wrote last week, along with N.R.A. board’s second vice president Mark Vaughan. They stated that they need to work on rebuilding trust with the President and his team, as well as with N.R.A. members and donors.
When asked for a response, Karoline Leavitt, a spokesperson for the Trump-Vance transition team, gave a general statement. She mentioned that President Trump supports the idea that all Americans have a natural right to protect themselves and their families, and he will support those who follow the law and own guns.
The recent letter shows that the N.R.A.’s political power has decreased. The organization used to be a powerful lobbying group in Washington, but it has been struggling due to scandals and corruption allegations. There is a divide within the group between supporters of former CEO Wayne LaPierre and another faction, led by Mr. Bachenberg, that wants to move away from LaPierre’s contentious reputation.
The newly appointed CEO of the N.R.A., Doug Hamlin, explained in a statement that due to the organization’s significant expenses in defending itself against a lawsuit 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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