Trump is skipping the National Rifle Association’s (NRA) annual convention this weekend, his second snub in as many years of an organization long seen as a key political ally for Republicans.
The move marks his second consecutive absence from the NRA’s annual meeting — held this year on April 16-19 in Houston, Texas — after attending every convention since 2015.
While the prominent gun rights group has largely brushed off Trump’s decision to skip the event as a scheduling issue, some critics say it underscores the NRA’s waning influence in Washington after years of financial and legal turmoil.
Or maybe the simplest reason, don’t expose the mad king to too much public scrutiny. Having trump speak at an event like this is a benefit to Trump, not the NRA. Just as it is a benefit, it is a detriment if his health and mental ability are in question.