Retired U.S. Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North speaks during the NRA annual meeting in Dallas on May 4, 2018. (Daniel Acker/Bloomberg)

Retired Marine Lt. Col. Oliver North, a central figure of the Iran-contra affair in the 1980s, has been named president of the National Rifle Association.

The NRA’s board of directors chose North to be the organization’s president Monday morning, after NRA president Pete Brownell decided not to seek a second term.

“This is the most exciting news for our members since Charlton Heston became President of our Association,” said NRA Executive Vice President and CEO Wayne LaPierre. “Oliver North is a legendary warrior for American freedom, a gifted communicator and skilled leader. In these times, I can think of no one better suited to serve as our President.”

North will assume the presidency in the coming weeks and will retire from Fox News, where he is currently a commentator.

“I appreciate the board initiating a process that affords me a few weeks to set my affairs in order, and I am eager to hit the ground running as the new NRA President,” North said in a statement.

North, 74, has long been active in the NRA, and is a member of its board. He attended a prayer breakfast at the NRA’s annual convention in Dallas on Saturday.

“I want my grandkids to say that Granddad was a person who taught me how to fight the good fight, how to finish the race, how to keep the faith,” North said, using biblical imagery. “You see, that’s the most important lesson of all: We’re in a fight. We’re in a brutal battle to preserve the liberties that the good Lord presents us.”