U.S. Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll has been appointed as the acting head of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), replacing Kash Patel. Driscoll will continue in his role as Army secretary, but the Justice Department has not clarified the reasons for this leadership change.
Patel, a supporter of former President Donald Trump, was appointed as the ATF’s interim director shortly after becoming FBI director in late February. His title and photo remained on the ATF website as of Wednesday, and it is unclear when he will officially leave the position.
The swift change in leadership may be related to discussions about merging the ATF with the Drug Enforcement Administration to save costs. Driscoll, who has a military background but no federal law enforcement experience, will now oversee the ATF’s regulatory authority over firearms and explosives.
Under Patel’s leadership, the FBI has experienced a significant increase in applications for new agents, with over 10,000 submitted since January. Patel is focused on restoring public trust in the bureau and enhancing community cooperation in crime-solving, as evidenced by the record number of applications in recent months.
