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An official from the National Rifle Association (N.R.A.) stated in a letter that President Trump no longer has confidence in the organization. The N.R.A. vice president emphasized the need for the group to regain the trust of Trump and his close advisors.
Written by Danny Hakim
The National Rifle Association’s top official stated that President-elect Donald J. Trump has lost confidence in the organization. The official emphasized in a recent letter to board members that the NRA must reorganize to support the Republican Party’s advantage in Congress during the 2026 midterm elections.
During a conversation with fellow board members, Bill Bachenberg, who is the first vice president of the group and a strong supporter of Trump, mentioned that Trump was unhappy that the NRA had not pledged to do more to assist him in the election. Additionally, Bachenberg noted that Trump was surprised to learn at the group’s annual conference in May that the NRA was paying millions of dollars annually to a lawyer, William A. Brewer III, who has historically supported Democratic political donations.
Last week, Mr. Bachenberg stated in a letter, co-signed by Mark Vaughan, that President Trump and his closest advisors no longer trust the N.R.A. He mentioned that he frequently communicates with them and emphasized the need to regain their trust, just as with the organization’s members and donors.
When asked for a comment, Karoline Leavitt, a spokesperson for the Trump-Vance transition, replied broadly by stating that President Trump supports the idea that all Americans have the inherent right to protect themselves and their families. Additionally, he is committed to protecting gun owners who abide by the law.
The letter indicates that the N.R.A.’s political power has decreased. The organization used to be a powerful lobbying group in Washington, but has been struggling due to scandals and accusations of corruption. There is now a split within the group between supporters of former CEO Wayne LaPierre and those, like Mr. Bachenberg, who want to distance themselves from LaPierre’s controversial past.
In a statement, Doug Hamlin, the new CEO of the N.R.A., mentioned that due to the organization’s significant spending to protect itself in a legal case initiated by Letitia James, the attorney general of New York, they needed to focus their efforts in the 2024 election.
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