Transition period during Trump
Transition of power
Transition of power
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A vice president of the NRA stated in a letter that Donald Trump has lost trust in the organization. The NRA is now tasked with regaining trust with Trump and his close advisors.
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. This official suggested in a letter to board members that the N.R.A. should regroup in order to support the Republican Party’s advantage in Congress for the 2026 midterm elections.
During a meeting, Bill Bachenberg, the first vice president of the group and a strong supporter of Trump, mentioned to other board members that Trump was disappointed that the NRA was not doing more to support his election campaign. Bachenberg also shared that Trump was surprised to learn that the NRA was paying a lawyer, William A. Brewer III, millions of dollars annually, despite Brewer’s history of supporting Democratic political candidates with his donations.
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 have confidence in the N.R.A. They mentioned that they are in regular communication with them and acknowledge the need to regain their trust, as well as that of their members and donors.
When asked to comment, Karoline Leavitt, a spokesperson for the Trump-Vance transition, gave a general response. She stated that President Trump believes that all Americans have a right given by God to protect themselves and their families, and he will support gun owners who follow the law.
The recent letter shows that the N.R.A.’s political power has decreased. It used to be a strong lobbying group in Washington, but has been struggling due to scandals and corruption accusations. There is a divide within the group between those loyal to former CEO Wayne LaPierre and another group, led by Mr. Bachenberg, who want to move away from LaPierre’s controversial leadership.
The new CEO of the N.R.A., Doug Hamlin, mentioned in a statement that due to the organization’s significant spending on a legal case brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James, they needed to focus their efforts on specific areas during the 2024 election cycle.
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