Though it’s headquartered in Northern Virginia, the NRA has been incorporated as a charitable non-profit in New York since 1871, meaning the state’s authorities have the power to oversee its operations.

A PBS article published in May 2019 explains that the attorney general can remove non-profit officers who have "failed to ensure that their organizations follow the rules and behave in a financially sound manner" and can "shut down non-profits that operate for improper or illegal purposes."

President Donald Trump, whose 2016 political campaign received a $30 million boost from the NRA, expressed support for the gun rights advocacy group in a briefing with reporters on Thursday. "That's a very terrible thing that just happened. I think the NRA should move to Texas and lead a very good and beautiful life," he stated.