Kash Patel Removed as Director of ATF

FBI Director Kash Patel has been removed as director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives by the Trump administration and replaced with Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll.

According to sources familiar with the matter and speaking on the condition of anonymity, Driscoll will continue to hold both roles in the administration. It was not immediately clear why the change was made.

In February, the Senate widely confirmed Driscoll 66-28 for his current role with the Army, achieving a rare bipartisan win for the administration. The Washington Post noted that it is unusual for a high-ranking Cabinet member to hold dual positions and Patel had been to ATF headquarters only once in his brief time in the position.

The ATF has become somewhat of a political football in the last several years, with the bureau being praised by Democrats for its efforts to address gun violence and conservatives viewing the bureau as an arm of anti-Second Amendment wing of the government.

In February, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to “to end the federal government’s violation of Americans’ fundamental Second Amendment right to protect themselves, their families, and their freedoms.” The order alleged the Biden administration had weaponized the ATF and used it as a tool to limit Americans’ ability to obtain guns.

In February, 14 Democrats on the House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force sent a letter to Trump seeking the removal of Patel as ATF chief, writing that “it is unconscionable that someone without experience fighting crime, responding to mass shootings or confronting domestic terrorism has been named as ATF’s Acting Director.”

In an exclusive comment to Newsmax, White House principal deputy press secretary Harrison Fields said: "Director Kash Patel was briefly designated ATF Director for 24 hours while awaiting Senate confirmations — a standard, short-term move. Dozens of similar re-designations have occurred across the federal government. Director Patel is now excelling in his role at the FBI and delivering outstanding results."