Trump’s move from
Transition of power
Transition of power
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In a recent letter, a vice president of the N.R.A. stated that Donald J. Trump has no confidence in the organization anymore. The letter emphasized the need for the N.R.A. to regain trust with Trump and his closest advisors.
Written by Danny Hakim
According to a high-ranking official at the National Rifle Association, President-elect Donald J. Trump no longer trusts the organization. The official stated in a letter to other board members that the N.R.A. needs to regroup in order to support the Republican Party’s advantage in Congress for the 2026 midterm elections.
At a recent meeting, Bill Bachenberg, the first vice president of the group and a strong supporter of Trump, shared with other board members that Trump was disappointed that the N.R.A. did not do more to support him during the election. Bachenberg mentioned that Trump was surprised to learn that the N.R.A. was spending millions of dollars each year on 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.
According to Mr. Bachenberg, 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 second vice president of the N.R.A. Mr. Bachenberg mentioned that he regularly communicates with them and emphasized the need to regain their trust, as well as the trust of N.R.A. members and donors.
When asked for her opinion, Karoline Leavitt, a spokesperson for the Trump-Vance transition team, gave a general response. She stated 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.
This letter shows that the N.R.A.’s political power has decreased. They used to have a strong influence in Washington, but scandals and corruption accusations have caused them to lose credibility. The organization is now split between supporters of their former CEO Wayne LaPierre and another faction, led by Mr. Bachenberg, that wants to move away from LaPierre’s controversial past.
Doug Hamlin, the newly appointed CEO of the National Rifle Association (N.R.A.), announced that due to significant expenses incurred in defending against a lawsuit from New York Attorney General Letitia James, the organization will need to strategically focus its efforts in the upcoming 2024 election.
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