FBI Director Kash Patel has reportedly been selected by President Donald Trump to also serve as the acting head of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Sources familiar with the decision confirmed the appointment to both NewsNation and Fox News on Saturday evening.
The announcement comes just one day after Patel was sworn in as the new director of the FBI. His dual role leading both the FBI and ATF signals a significant shift in federal law enforcement leadership under the Trump administration.
Former FBI Director Christopher Wray resigned at the end of President Joe Biden’s term, creating a vacancy that Patel has now filled. Additionally, Attorney General Pam Bondi took swift action within the ATF, firing General Counsel Pamela Hicks on Thursday.
Hicks acknowledged her dismissal in a LinkedIn post, writing, “Earlier today, I was served official notice from the Attorney General of the United States that I was being removed from my position as the Chief Counsel of ATF and my employment with the Department of Justice terminated.”
She went on to express gratitude for her time at the ATF, stating, “Serving as ATF Chief Counsel has been the highest honor of my career and working with the people at ATF and throughout the Department has been a pleasure. I thank my colleagues for their friendship and partnership over the years.”
Hicks had served as the ATF’s chief counsel since 2021 and was previously the deputy chief counsel during Trump’s first term.
Attorney General Bondi defended the dismissals, stating that those removed from their positions had been unfairly targeting gun owners.
“These people were targeting gun owners,” Bondi told Fox News. “Not gonna happen under this administration.”
The Trump administration has long been critical of gun control measures and has expressed strong support for Second Amendment rights.
Patel’s leadership at both the FBI and ATF could indicate a significant shift in federal law enforcement’s approach to firearms regulations.