According to the Washington Free Beacon, which obtained the NRA’s latest annual report, revenue frhttps://freebeacon.com/2020-election/nra-slashed-expenses-as-membership-dues-fell-in-2019/om “membership dues to the NRA fell more than $57 million—or 33 percent—between 2018 and 2019” while “legal costs rose by 52 percent.” This news, published on the Friday night before the election, strongly suggests that membership has plummeted amid the organization’s myriad legal, financial, and internal troubles. 

Toplines from the annual report include: 

• The NRA faces a sharp decline in membership dues: The NRA’s membership dues fell by more than $57 million between 2018 and 2019, a 33% decline. Additionally, according to the Free Beacon, membership dues in 2019 were “down more than $15 million—or 11 percent—from the previous non-election year of 2017.”
• The NRA legal fees skyrocket: The NRA’s legal fees increased by 52% to more than $33 million. 
• The NRA runs a deficit for the 4th year in a row: According to the Free Beacon, the NRA “ran a $16 million deficit in 2019,” making it four straight years where the NRA has run a deficit. 
• The NRA cuts funding for core programs: The NRA cut spending for its stated core mission of “safety, education, & training,” by $4 million, or 13%. For the second year in a row, these programs accounted for less than 10% of overall NRA spending. 
• The NRA cuts other expenses: According to the Free Beacon, the NRA “cut expenses across the board by more than $73 million—or 17 percent—with legislative programs and public affairs taking the largest hits.” 

This news comes at a time when the NRA is already mired in immense financial, legal, and internal turmoil.