NRA at a Crossroads: Reform, Accountability, and the Fight for Its Future

The NRA 155th Annual Meeting is April 17th-19th, 2026 in Dallas

As the National Rifle Association (NRA) heads into its 155th Annual Meeting, there’s a growing conversation that gun owners shouldn’t ignore. What the future of the NRA actually looks like, and who is steering the ship. Behind the scenes, the battle isn’t just about policy. It’s about structure, accountability, and trust after years of internal turmoil.

The Problem: A Massive, Unwieldy Board

Right now, the NRA Board of Directors sits at 76 members—an unusually large structure compared to most organizations.  Instead of having separate leadership tiers, the NRA essentially operates with one oversized board. They have dozens of committees and they all share responsibility on everything.

The result of this type of structure is slower decision-making and less accountability. It also presents a greater risk of internal dysfunction and an inability to move forward. The NRA has long had issues with leadership and direction. It is time that this is corrected for the NRA to win back support among gun owners.

The Push for Reform

There’s a growing push within the organization to restructure how leadership works. One proposed solution would break the board into three tiers. First tier is a Managing Board. This would be a small board and focused on finances and legal oversight. Second tier would be an Advisory Board. This board is a bit larger, representing members and programs.

Finally, there would be an Honorary Board. The purpose of this board would be to recognize key contributors and public figures. The goal of this is to create a system that is more efficient, more accountable, and harder to corrupt. Corruption has long plagued the NRA and is a major reason there has been a decrease in support for them among gun owners.

A More Realistic Path Forward

While a full overhaul would be ideal, it’s also difficult to achieve. This is because it would require a majority of board members to essentially vote away their own positions. What may end up happening instead, is a more practical reform. This one is gaining traction. First, it would strengthen the Executive Committee. This would be done by giving it authority over financial and legal decisions.

It would also be keeping full board oversight to prevent abuse. Think of it as creating a lean decision-making core, while still maintaining checks and balances. This may be the only path forward among the current structure of the NRA at any reform due to the massive size of the current board.

The Elephant in the Room: The “Old Guard”

No discussion about NRA reform is complete without addressing the past. For years, many board members supported former leadership and stayed silent during controversy. Any chances at reform by this “Old Guard” was opposed.

Now, some of those same individuals are claiming to support change. That’s created tension among members who want accountability. It also raises a key question of do you purge the past, or rebuild for the future?

The Reality: You Can’t Just “Clean House”

Some voices have called for mass removal of board members tied to past leadership. However, this would be difficult to achieve and is probably not realistic. Structurally, this may be possible without creating massive chaos. This approach most likely would lead to more infighting—not less.

The path forward here instead is change happening more gradually. Some “Old Guard” members have already stepped down and we are seeing some new leadership has emerged. Over time there will be a changing of the guard at the NRA in general.  The hope is it is for the better.

There is a lot of ground that must be made up with gun owners for us to trust the NRA again. A lot of bridges have been burned and there is much work that needs to be done. We are in a time where firearm groups need to unite to fight against the onslaught of anti-2a legislation and litigation coming at us. The NRA could be an important piece to that fight if meaningful reforms can happen.  

Their board elections are slowly reshaping the leadership in the NRA. However, change needs to happen and it must be permanent if the organization is going to survive. We here at 2 If By Sea Tactical hope this will be true but are taking a wait and see approach.

A Divided—but Necessary—Board

Today’s NRA board is a mix of reform-minded members and former loyalists adjusting course. While they do have a few independent voices with differing strategies there still remains much friction. These debates, however, are not all bad and can be healthy.

We do not want a board full of “yes” men. Because a board full of “yes men” is far more dangerous than one with disagreement. We have seen what happens when the NRA has nothing but a board full of “yes” men. It is detrimental to the firearm community and sever damage has been done.

Why This Matters to Gun Owners

At 2 If By Sea Tactical, we’ve been covering the broader fight for the Second Amendment across the country. The reality is that the NRA still plays a massive role in that fight. If the organization isn’t effective or cannot be trusted, then the entire movement feels it.

The NRA isn’t collapsing just yet—but it is evolving under pressure. We are happy that Reform is happening. However, the pace is extremely slow. We understand that accountability is increasing—but not yet complete. The future depends heavily on member engagement and elections.

At the end of the day the NRA will become whatever its members demand it to be. That means staying informed, staying involved, and holding leadership accountable. Because the fight for the Second Amendment isn’t just happening in courts and legislatures—it’s happening inside the organizations that claim to defend it.

Here at 2 If By Sea Tactical we strive to bring you the best experience in the firearms world.  As we continue to grow the media arm of 2 If By Sea, make sure you keep tuning in to our Youtube and Rumble channels and right here at “The Patriot’s Almanac” to stay informed on the latest happenings in the firearm world! But we are not lawyers, so this isn't legal guidance. We are proud to be Southern Minnesota source for all things 2A.

Stay sharp, stay informed, and stay ready.