Transition of power from
Transition of power
Transition of power
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A vice president of the N.R.A. expressed in a letter that Donald J. Trump no longer has confidence in the organization. The letter stated that the N.R.A. must work on regaining trust with Trump and his closest advisors.
Written by Danny Hakim
A top 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 board members that the NRA must regroup in order to support the Republican Party’s advantage in Congress during the 2026 midterm elections.
Bill Bachenberg, the group’s first vice president and a strong supporter of Trump, informed other board members that Trump was unhappy that the N.R.A. had not shown more support for him during the election. Bachenberg also mentioned that Trump was surprised to learn that the N.R.A. was paying large sums of money to a lawyer, William A. Brewer III, who has historically supported Democratic politicians through his donations. This conversation took place at the group’s annual conference in May.
It has been confirmed by Mr. Bachenberg that President Trump and his closest advisors no longer have confidence in the N.R.A. This was stated in a letter co-signed by Mark Vaughan, the N.R.A. board’s second vice president. Mr. Bachenberg mentioned that he frequently communicates with them and acknowledges the need to regain their trust, along with the trust of N.R.A. members and donors.
When questioned for a response, Karoline Leavitt, a spokesperson for the Trump-Vance transition, gave a general statement. She mentioned 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 follow the law and own guns.
The letter indicates that the N.R.A. has lost some of its political power. It used to be a major player in lobbying in Washington, but has been struggling due to scandals and accusations of corruption. The organization is now split between supporters of its former leader Wayne LaPierre and another group, led by Mr. Bachenberg, who want to move away from LaPierre’s controversial past.
Doug Hamlin, the newly appointed CEO of the N.R.A., mentioned in a statement that due to the organization’s significant spending on legal defense in a case brought by Letitia James, the Attorney General of New York, they will need to carefully focus their efforts in the upcoming 2024 election.
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