The director of the National Rifle Association has claimed that he finds U.S. President Donald Trump hard to listen to. Speaking with The Irish Star at the 154th annual NRA meeting in Georgia, John Richard admitted that, “It is hard for me to listen to a Trump speech.”

Richardson, 68, likened the president’s speeches to when you are trying to get a dog’s attention by yelling “squirrel!” According to the director, he often preferred to watch the speech, which usually took place right down the hall, from the media room.

“If you were going in there when he was President Trump, or even candidate Trump, if you were carrying a pocket knife, you couldn’t go in,” he explained. “Or if you were carrying concealed, you couldn’t go in. So it was much easier just to watch TV, sit here, drink coffee, and not have to wait in line for two hours to get in.”

The North Carolina native revealed that he found Trump to be somewhat of a disappointment when the president spoke at the convention in 2024. “It was a little bit of, I think, a disappointment for the NRA,” Richardson said. “Whether or not the NRA has quite the ear that it used to have, I don’t know.”

Despite him finding Trump difficult to listen to, Richardson did praise the president for his contributions to the NRA. “That said, he’s done a lot of good things since being reelected,” he said, noting that there was “more to go.”

“But the executive order on the Second Amendment was wonderful,” added Richardson, referring to the order signed by Trump in February which states “Within 30 days of the date of this order, the Attorney General shall examine all orders, regulations, guidance, plans, international agreements, and other actions of executive departments and agencies (agencies) to assess any ongoing infringements of the Second Amendment rights of our citizens.”

Richardson also praised Dan Driscoll, the temporary head of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Richardson claimed that Driscoll was doing an “excellent job cleaning up the ATF” and rescinding some of their orders.

The remarks parrot those of NRA President Bob Barr praised the president and his commitment to the organization.

“We are in a great state, a great city, and the greatest country on the face of the world,” Barr told an excited crowd of gun enthusiasts.”With a president who supports the NRA and isn’t that nice to have once again after four years of that other guy that didn’t support.”

The comment was a jab at former President Joe Biden, who, during his presidency, repeatedly called for gun control. Barr was not the only official to tout Trump’s staunch support for the NRA.

Speaking with Express US, Mark Vaughan also touted the president’s commitment to protecting the Second Amendment.”He has certainly expressed great support for us since the moment he was elected, but I think he’s had maybe more pressing challenges on the plate,” Vaughan said, referring to the many challenges Trump has faced since returning to the executive office.”

“But he has not forgotten about us for sure,” added Vaughan. “We are pleased that he’s there. We’re pleased about his ongoing and staunch support of our Second Amendment rights.”

Vaughan also alluded to a video that the president recorded for the attendees of the annual gathering. “I don’t think he’s abandoned this one bit.”