An unprecedented “civil war” is rocking the National Rifle Association (NRA), the oldest and most powerful advocacy organization in the .
Its philanthropic arm (which raises the big bucks) rebels, declares its independence and renames itself the “1791 Foundation”, causing a historic schism.
The split comes after the NRA filed a lawsuit against the NRA Foundation in January, alleging that a “disgruntled faction of former NRA executives” seized control of the charity, positioned it as a direct competitor and misappropriated about $160 million of its funds.
The weakened NRA now faces an existential crisis that threatens to topple one of the greatest regulators of American politics.
Disappointment to gun advocates
Gun rights advocates are watching the controversy with dismay. “This makes me and a lot of other NRA supporters unhappy, it’s like your mom and dad arguing and you just want it to end,” said Chuck Michell, president of the California Rifle and Pistol Association.
Scandals have hit the NRA hard over the past decade. In 2024, a jury found former leader Wayne LaPierre guilty of embezzling millions in private jet flights and luxury vacations. Membership and fundraisers have declined as the internal battle for control intensified.
The weakened giant also faces increased competition from start-up gun groups with large social media followings.
The response of the new “1791 Foundation”
“The reasons we’re doing this is because we wanted a refresh, we wanted a reboot,” said Tom King, chairman of the board of the 1791 Foundation. “We have absolutely no ulterior motive,” he says.
The new name is a reference to the year the Bill of Rights, including the Second Amendment to the Constitution, was ratified, King said. He declined to comment on the litigation with the NRA, while lawyers for the foundation called the lawsuit “sham” in court documents.
The NRA did not respond to requests for comment.
From a political “ruler” to the “piggy bank” scandal
Founded in 1871, the NRA has grown into one of the most dominant forces in US politics, influencing elections and defeating gun control bills, the Wall Street Journal reports.
He created the foundation 35 years ago to raise money and fund firearms safety and education programs.
A 2020 lawsuit by the District of Columbia attorney general alleged that the foundation did not operate independently and allowed NRA leaders to use it as a “piggy bank.” The foundation settled the case in 2024, agreeing to independent oversight, audits and compliance training.
“That’s in the past, we’re looking at the future,” King said. The foundation, he said, will continue to fund youth shooting associations and firearms safety and education programs, including NRA programs.
The battle of the “old guard” and the war of numbers
Although LaPierre stepped down in 2024, the man who led the organization for more than three decades still casts a shadow over the current controversy.
The NRA, now led by Doug Hamlin, who was appointed to “clean up the landscape,” characterized the foundation’s leaders as the “old guard” of LaPierre loyalists. The lawsuit seeks to block the foundation from allegedly misusing the NRA’s trademarks and funds and from dissociating itself from it.
The foundation counterattacked with a press release in May, saying “the NRA’s attempt at an all-out raid on the Foundation’s assets underscores its true motive: to secure funds to keep the organization alive while undermining the Foundation’s ability to fulfill its own mission.”
The NRA saw its annual revenue drop from a peak of $367 million in 2016 to $174 million in 2024, while its net assets fell to $15.7 million, according to its most recent tax filings with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The foundation had revenue of $42 million in 2024, but had significantly larger net assets of $202 million.
