FBI director Patel replaced as acting ATF chief by Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll

FBI Director Kash Patel was removed Wednesday as acting director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and replaced by Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll.

Mr. Driscoll, whose appointment was confirmed by a Justice Department official, will continue to serve as Army Secretary during his tenure at ATF, a branch of the DOJ.

Mr. Patel was sworn in as the ATF’s acting director in late February a few days after he was sworn in as FBI director.

The change in top leadership comes at a time when senior Justice Department officials are reviewing a proposal that would merge the ATF with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration as part of an effort to slash costs.

The memo, written by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, seeks feedback on a reorganization plan that would link the Drug Enforcement Administration and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives into a one department “to achieve efficiencies in resources, case deconfliction, and regulatory efforts.”

The plan is reported to be part of the Trump administration’s endeavors to reduce and mold the federal government. The memo also included no details about how the two agencies would be merged, or whether agents would be laid off.

The ATF investigates matters including violent crime, gun trafficking, arson and bombings. The agency also provides technical expertise related to tracing firearms used in crimes and analyzing intelligence in shooting investigations.

The DEA, meanwhile, is in charge of enforcing the nation’s laws around drugs. Its agents are focused on combating criminal drug networks and stemming the illicit flow of fentanyl and other street drugs.

Mr. Patel and Attorney General Pam Bondi recently announced the DOJ and ATF had repealed and revisited several gun control regulations and enforcement practices previously implemented by the Biden administration.

Three key reforms announced include repealing the Federal Firearms Administrative Action Policy and Procedure, colloquially known as the “Zero Tolerance” policy; reviewing and revisiting the Biden regulatory framework surrounding stabilizing braces; and the definition of “engaged in the business” under firearms-dealing rules.