Trump Implores NRA to ‘Get Its Act Together Quickly, Stop the Internal Fighting’
President Donald Trump has opined on the recent state of administrative disarray that the National Rifle Association has endured. Over the past few days, an internal battle between NRA President Oliver North and Chief Executive Wayne LaPierre, which resulted in North’s announcement that he will be stepping down after LaPierre alleged a blackmail scheme over alleged financial impropriety.
Trump has enjoyed rock-solid political support from the pro-gun rights lobby and expressed concern over how New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s effort to hold the NRA accountable for their pro-gun messaging and efforts, which he sees as, at best, irresponsible.
Trump tweeted:
The NRA is under siege by Cuomo and the New York State A.G., who are illegally using the State’s legal apparatus to take down and destroy this very important organization, & others. It must get its act together quickly, stop the internal fighting, & get back to GREATNESS – FAST!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 29, 2019
There have been numerous reports that the NRA has been enduring grave fiscal challenges of late, though none of these reports have cited enough internal documents to prove the allegations. The drama at the top, alongside reported investigations that Russia funneled campaign dollars for the Trump election effort through the NRA, all add up to something of an existential crisis for the controversial gun lobby.
UPDATE: Trump continued the thought in a follow-up tweet roughly an hour later:
….People are fleeing New York State because of high taxes and yes, even oppression of sorts. They didn’t even put up a fight against SALT – could have won. So much litigation. The NRA should leave and fight from the outside of this very difficult to deal with (unfair) State!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 29, 2019
(Photo by Chris Kleponis-Pool/Getty Images)
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