Trump To Appoint Kash Patel As Acting Head of ATF Amid Law Enforcement Shake-Up

President Donald Trump will appoint newly confirmed FBI Director Kash Patel as the acting head of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), a move that consolidates leadership in key law enforcement agencies under a close ally, a person familiar with the matter said on Saturday.

Patel, a staunch Trump loyalist, will simultaneously oversee the FBI—the nation’s most prominent law enforcement agency—and the ATF, which enforces US gun laws. 

His dual role comes at a time of growing upheaval in federal law enforcement and signals a shift in the administration’s priorities.

Patel’s confirmation as FBI director was met with fierce opposition from Democrats and two moderate Republicans, who cited his past calls for retribution against Trump’s critics as evidence that he was unfit to lead the bureau. Despite these concerns, Patel secured enough support from the Republican-controlled Senate to assume the post.

Patel has garnered strong backing from the Gun Owners of America lobby group, which has praised his commitment to gun rights. 

Under his leadership, the ATF is expected to undergo significant changes, with its focus shifting away from regulating firearms and toward other enforcement priorities.

The shake-up at the ATF has already begun. On Thursday, Attorney General Pam Bondi abruptly fired the agency’s long-time chief counsel, Pamela Hicks, and had security escort her out of the building, according to a source familiar with the matter. No prior warning or explanation was given at the time of her dismissal.

Bondi later explained the decision in an interview , saying, “These people were targeting gun owners.” She has since directed the ATF to shift its primary focus from regulating firearms, tobacco, and alcohol to assisting the Department of Justice in targeting illegal immigration.

Patel’s appointment is part of a broader trend within the Trump administration of consolidating agency leadership under key allies. Several officials are now serving in dual roles across federal agencies.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is concurrently acting administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which Trump intends to dissolve and integrate into the State Department. 

Similarly, Russ Vought, director of the Office of Management and Budget, is also serving as the acting head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, an agency the administration seeks to eliminate.

Meanwhile, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Energy Secretary Chris Wright are co-chairing Trump’s newly established National Energy Dominance Council, which aims to advance the administration’s pro-fossil fuel agenda.

Boluwatife Enome

Follow us on: