On June 26, 2025, the National Rifle Association hosted their first virtual town hall-style meeting. Answering questions on behalf of the Association were EVP Doug Hamlin and President Bill Bachenberg.
The evening meeting was presided over by NRA Editorial Director Mark A. Keefe, IV. The near-hour long question and answer session is available for restream on the NRApubs YouTube page. Advanced registration was required to attend the event and participants were able to text their questions to the leadership panel.
NRA leadership has been hosting in-person town hall meetings across the country. Hamlin, Bachenberg, and others from the Association have been attending many front-facing events to get a chance to engage with the membership. A February town hall meeting in Harrisburg, Pa. was well attended, and other meetings have been held in places like California and Iowa.
Anyone who’s been following the NRA and or have had the opportunity to attend one of these in-person events, would be greeted with similar talking points from the leadership. For folks who have not had a chance to attend an event where the leadership was present, this virtual town hall is a good vehicle to get up to speed on what the Association is doing in the way of work for the members and is part of their commitment to transparency.
As the Association hosts more of these virtual meetings, it’s probable that more and more topics get covered…including the tougher ones. For a starting point? This was a great way to lay the foundation for those who want to get more and more up to speed on what the NRA is doing under the leadership of Hamlin et.al.
“It’s a high honor to be your executive vice president and CEO,” Hamlin said in his opening remarks. “I’m really enjoying working with President Bachenberg and our entire board of directors. As Mark said in his opening remarks, we are committed to transparency, and I think that’s what you’re seeing tonight with this virtual town hall.”
While kicking off the event, both Bachenberg and Hamlin gave some background information about themselves. Hamlin has been a veteran NRA employee for the last 11 years, working in the publications division. And Bachenberg, a life-long entrepreneur has been a hunter his entire life and for the last near two decades, has owned and operated Lehigh Valley Sporting Clays in Pa.
Here are all the questions that participants asked and answered:
- Why should someone join the National Rifle Association?
- I was a member of NRA many years ago, but stopped being a member because of all the mail I kept receiving from you…[question was cut off]
- What is being done to invest in NRA programs, in particular, to support NRA instructors?
- Will we see the NRA getting more involved directly in lawsuits, especially in those states with harsh gun control laws?
- What changes have you made and will make in the future regarding internal management and leadership to regain member confidence in this leadership team?
- Recruiting used to be easy, but now it’s hard, because so many people distrust the NRA. What do we recruiters say to people to make them consider joining or rejoining?
- What’s the status of national concealed carry reciprocity?
- What is the outlook for competitive shooting programs?
- What is NRA doing to bring women into the fold and not just to humor us?
- What does NRA do for our law enforcement community, first responders and our active military men and women?
- What’s the status of the reconciliation bill? Perhaps removing items like short barrel rifles and suppressors from the National firearm?
- Is there a membership that would be appropriate for my 14 year old grandson?
- What have you actually accomplished in the last year?
- How do you go about volunteering for the NRA?
- Are you moving to Texas?
- Is the board paid? Why do you guys do it?
- What is the number one thing I can do to help the NRA right now?
- What are the top three issues NRA is devoting time and money to these days?
- Is the NRA range still active?
- What can NRA do to gain synergy with other pro Second Amendment organizations?
Bachenberg and Hamlin covered a lot of ground in just under an hour. If you’re interested in catching the team’s answers to those questions as well as hear their remarks, you can catch a recording of the event HERE or in the embed below. For an inaugural event, it seems like a solid foundation of getting information was built. With the meeting being held virtually, it’ll allow those who don’t have access to the in-person events a chance to hear directly from the NRA leadership.
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