Transition of power from
Transition of power
Transition of power
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A vice president of the NRA has stated in a recent letter that Donald J. Trump no longer has confidence in the organization. The letter emphasizes the need for the NRA to regain trust with Trump and his close advisors.
Authored by Danny Hakim
The National Rifle Association’s top official stated in a letter to board members that President-elect Donald J. Trump no longer has confidence in the organization. The official also emphasized the need for the N.R.A. to come together and support the Republican Party in maintaining their majority in Congress during the 2026 midterm elections.
At a recent board meeting, Bill Bachenberg, the first vice president of the group and a strong supporter of Trump, mentioned that Trump was disappointed that the NRA did not do more to support his reelection campaign. Bachenberg also shared 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 political candidates. This conversation took place at the group’s annual conference in May.
Last week, Mr. Bachenberg stated that President Trump and his closest advisors no longer have confidence in the N.R.A., as mentioned in a letter co-signed by Mark Vaughan, the N.R.A. board’s second vice president. Mr. Bachenberg communicates regularly with them and believes there is a significant amount of effort needed to regain their trust, along with the trust of N.R.A. members and donors.
When asked for a response, Karoline Leavitt, a spokesperson for the transition from Trump to Vance, gave a general statement. She mentioned that President Trump supports the idea that all Americans have a natural right to defend themselves and their families, and he will support gun owners who follow the law.
The recent letter shows that the N.R.A. has lost some of its political power. It used to be a strong lobbying group in Washington, but has been struggling due to scandals and accusations of corruption. There is now a split within the organization between those loyal to former CEO Wayne LaPierre and another group, led by Mr. Bachenberg, that wants to move away from LaPierre’s controversial reputation.
The newly appointed chief executive of the N.R.A., Doug Hamlin, mentioned in a statement that due to the organization’s significant spending to protect itself in a legal case filed 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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