US 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), Reuters reported on Saturday.
A staunch Trump loyalist, Patel will now oversee both the FBI and the ATF at a time of growing political turbulence. His nomination for FBI chief had faced fierce opposition from Democrats and two moderate Republicans, who argued that his calls for retribution against Trump’s critics made him unfit for the role. However, Republican backing ensured his confirmation.
Patel has been a vocal supporter of gun rights and has received endorsements from the Gun Owners of America lobby group. His leadership is expected to steer the ATF away from firearm regulation, aligning with Trump’s campaign promise to curb what he called the agency’s heavy-handed approach toward gun owners.
US Attorney General Pam Bondi has already signaled a shift in the ATF’s direction. On Thursday, she abruptly fired the agency’s long-time chief counsel, Pamela Hicks, who was escorted out of the building without warning. Bondi later defended the move on Fox News, stating, “These people were targeting gun owners.” She has since ordered the ATF to focus on assisting the Justice Department in tackling illegal immigration rather than regulating firearms, tobacco, and alcohol.
Once named, Patel will become one of several Trump administration officials juggling dual roles. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is also serving as acting administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), an agency Trump aims to dissolve.
Similarly, Russ Vought, director of the Office of Management and Budget, is concurrently heading the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which the administration seeks to dismantle. Meanwhile, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Energy Secretary Chris Wright are co-chairing Trump’s newly formed National Energy Dominance Council.
(With inputs from Reuters)