According to two unnamed sources in the Justice Department, FBI Director Kash Patel, who the Senate confirmed after President Donald Trump nominated him to lead the Bureau, is expected to take the helm of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives ( ATF ) temporarily. Patel will take the oath of office as the ATF’s acting director the following year, according to the two federal sources.
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The rumors come after Pamela Hicks, the ATF’s general counsel, was fired by Attorney General Pam Bondi on February 20, one moment after Patel took the oath of office in a mostly party-line vote in the Senate. A lifelong Trump nationalist, Patel won assurance despite two never-Trumper Democratic senators, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine, joining troops with Democrats in opposition to his nomination.
The newly confirmed FBI producer was the director of defense’s top official during the first Trump administration’s final weeks, and he was a vocal critic of the commonly rejected Mueller investigation into alleged Russian election interference. Patel has also criticized the abuse of the FBI’s surveillance powers and urged the establishment of a” 24/7 declassification office.”
Steven Dettelbach, previous leader Joe Biden’s ATF chairman, who oversaw the execution of the cheerful government’s last-minute gun control regulations, resigned his office two days before Trump’s inauguration on January 18. Dettelbach, who was confirmed in 2022, was the first ATF chairman the Senate confirmed since 2015 after senators blocked past contenders.
The ATF is the law enforcement agency within the Court that enforces federal legislation against the improper use, price, and distribution of weapon, bombs, alcohol, and nicotine products.
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Early this month, President Trump signed an executive order that put an end to “existing laws designed to limit the obvious right of law-abiding people to keep and bear arms.”
The Biden administration has blatantly attempted to end Second Amendment right. Among other infringements, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives ( ATF ) was weaponized to end the livelihoods of law-abiding small business owners in an effort to limit Americans ‘ ability to acquire firearms”, the White House added in a press release.
The organization is receiving harsh criticism from gun owners and House Republicans, who have pointed out numerous Second Amendment attempted infractions, especially after ATF officials abused the last few days of the Biden administration to circumvent Congress.
Biden instructed the ATF to create various gun control regulations, including so-called “ghost gun” restrictions, an “engaged in the business” rule, designed to increase federal background checks, and a ban on AR-15 pistol stabilizer braces.
Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo. ), and Rep. Eric Burlison (R-Mo. ), along with several House Republicans, introduced legislation in January that would abolish the agency completely. Last November, Burlison called on Congress to eliminate the ATF in reaction to the latest gun restrictions.  ,
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Burlison advertised his bill, H. R. 221, in a Fed. 22 post on X,  , which he said is designed to” Abolish the ATF”, and added,” Eliminate this redundant agency that consistently violates Second Amendment rights”.
I can’t imagine under any circumstances or administration where the ATF is a ally to the Second Amendment and law-abiding gun owners across America, according to Boebert in a statement.
Bondi claimed she fired Hicks because she allegedly was one of the DOJ’s ringleaders who planned to use deadly force against the organization.
” These people were targeting gun owners. Not gonna happen under this administration”, she told Fox News in an interview. Bondi stated that this behavior wasn’t “going to happen under this administration” and that she would clean up the ATF for falsely “targeting gun owners.”
On her LinkedIn page, Hicks wrote,” Earlier today, I received official notice from the Attorney General of the United States that I was being fired from my position as the Chief Counsel of ATF and that my employment with the Department of Justice was terminated.”
Working with the people at ATF and throughout the Department has been a pleasure, Hicks continued in her position.” Serving as ATF Chief Counsel has been the highest honor of my career. I want to thank my coworkers for their cooperation and friendship over the years.
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On February 23, President Trump nominated former NYPD agent and Secret Service agent Dan Bongino as Kash’s Deputy Director of the FBI, calling him” a man of incredible love and passion for our Country.”
” Working with our great new United States Attorney General, Pam Bondi, and Director Patel, Fairness, Justice, Law and Order will be brought back to America, and quickly. Congratulations Dan” ! , Trump wrote on Truth Social.
