Kash Patel loses ATF gig as Trump kills gun safety measures

FBI Director Kash Patel, who was installed by President Donald Trump as acting director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, has quietly been removed from the agency, whose primary role is to investigate federal offenses involving firearms and explosives.According to Reuters, Patel has been replaced by U.S. Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll, but a formal announcement has yet to be released. NBC’s Ken Dilanian reported that ATF officials, who only learned about Patel’s departure on Wednesday, “were shocked and confused,” noting that Patel “had not been seen inside an ATF facility for weeks.”Patel’s role as FBI director is a full-time position, as is the ATF director role. The arrangement that purportedly had him running both agencies was unusual, though Driscoll is reportedly set to split his time between agencies as well.Patel is a conspiracy theorist who authored multiple children’s books starring a fantasy-based version of Trump. In reward for his fan fiction, Trump nominated him to lead the United States’ premiere law enforcement agency.Attorney General Pam BondiThe chaotic state of the agency’s leadership comes as the Trump administration prepares to roll back regulations from the Biden administration, which protect Americans from gun violence.Attorney General Pam Bondi announced on Monday that she will eliminate President Joe Biden’s “zero tolerance” policy, which strips away federal gun licenses for gun dealers who repeatedly violate the law.Hundreds of sellers who were potentially putting guns into the hands of dangerous individuals had their licenses revoked under the Biden policy. But now under Trump, those individuals will be allowed to own firearms.Despite the danger to the public, Trump’s action was praised as a "significant win” by Gun Owners of America, a right-wing extremist group with past ties to white-supremacist organizations, including the KKK.Bondi also intends to roll back Biden-era checks on people who use stabilizing braces to turn pistols into rifles and a regulation that made gun sellers adhere to stringent licensing and background check requirements.Biden signed the first major federal gun safety bill in decades in the 2022 Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. Meanwhile, Trump, who opposes gun safety regulations and laws, has been bankrolled by the far-right, scandal-plagued National Rifle Association for years.With Trump in the White House, gun extremists have a key ally—and the public is in danger.Campaign Action

FBI Director Kash Patel, who was installed by President Donald Trump as acting director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, has quietly been removed from the agency, whose primary role is to investigate federal offenses involving firearms and explosives. According to Reuters , Patel has been replaced by U.S.

Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll, but a formal announcement has yet to be released. NBC’s Ken Dilanian reported that ATF officials, who only learned about Patel’s departure on Wednesday, “were shocked and confused,” noting that Patel “had not been seen inside an ATF facility for weeks.” Patel’s role as FBI director is a full-time position, as is the ATF director role.

The arrangement that purportedly had him running both agencies was unusual, though Driscoll is reportedly set to split his time between agencies as well. Patel is a conspiracy theorist who authored multiple children’s books starring a fantasy-based version of Trump. In reward for his fan fiction, Trump nominated him to lead the United States’ premiere law enforcement agency.

The chaotic state of the agency’s leadership comes as the Trump administration prepares to roll back regulations from the Biden administration, which protect Americans from gun violence. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced on Monday that she will eliminate President Joe Biden’s “zero tolerance” policy, which strips away federal gun licenses for gun dealers who repeatedly violate the law. Hundreds of sellers who were potentially putting guns into the hands of dangerous individuals had their licenses revoked under the Biden policy.

But now under Trump, those individuals will be allowed to own firearms. Despite the danger to the public, Trump’s action was praised as a "significant win” by Gun Owners of America, a right-wing extremist group with past ties to white-supremacist organizations, including the KKK. Bondi also intends to roll back Biden-era checks on people who use stabilizing braces to turn pistols into rifles and a regulation that made gun sellers adhere to stringent licensing and background check requirements.

Biden signed the first major federal gun safety bill in decades in the 2022 Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. Meanwhile, Trump, who opposes gun safety regulations and laws, has been bankrolled by the far-right, scandal-plagued National Rifle Association for years. With Trump in the White House, gun extremists have a key ally—and the public is in danger.

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