Overview
- Kash Patel, FBI Director and former acting ATF Director, was removed after reportedly being absent from ATF facilities for weeks.
- Daniel Driscoll, U.S. Army Secretary, has been appointed as acting ATF Director while retaining his role in the Army, marking another dual-role leadership arrangement.
- The leadership change coincides with the Trump administration's review of ATF policies and consideration of merging the ATF with the DEA to improve efficiency.
- Driscoll's appointment follows criticism of Patel's dual-role arrangement and concerns about accountability in managing two major federal agencies.
- The ATF recently repealed a Biden-era gun control policy, with further reviews of firearms regulations underway under Attorney General Pam Bondi's directive.