BREAKING: FBI Director Kash Patel Replaced as Acting Head of ATF by Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll
FBI Director Kash Patel has been removed as the acting chief of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and replaced by Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll, according to three sources familiar with the matter.
Patel’s removal occurred in late February, just days after he was sworn in to lead the ATF, but the change was not made public until Wednesday.
Patel, who was serving in an acting capacity while awaiting Senate confirmation for his permanent role at the FBI, was still listed as ATF acting director as recently as April 7 in an official press release.
The change of leadership was only formally communicated to senior ATF leaders on Wednesday, and it remains unclear why Patel was replaced.
In his place, Driscoll, who also serves as the US Army Secretary, has been tasked with leading the Justice Department agency responsible for enforcing national gun laws. While Driscoll’s appointment to head the ATF may seem unusual, sources confirmed that he will maintain his role as Army Secretary, creating a unique overlap between military leadership and domestic law enforcement.
Driscoll, 38, is a seasoned figure in the defense sector, overseeing the US Army with approximately 452,000 soldiers and a budget exceeding $187 billion. He has also managed major weapons programs and equipment worth billions of dollars. However, his new role overseeing the ATF, a civilian law enforcement agency, has raised questions given the US military’s traditional separation from domestic law enforcement activities.
Harrison Fields, a White House spokesperson, clarified that Patel’s tenure at the ATF was brief and part of a standard, short-term appointment while awaiting Senate confirmation.
“Director Patel is now excelling in his role at the FBI and delivering outstanding results,” Fields said in a statement.
Driscoll’s background includes a short tenure in the Army, where he served as a first lieutenant, and a failed run for a North Carolina congressional seat in 2020. He has close ties to Vice President JD Vance, whom he met at Yale Law School and later advised.
The transition comes as the Department of Justice is reportedly considering merging the ATF and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to streamline resources and improve regulatory efforts. The two agencies often collaborate but operate under separate mandates— the ATF focuses on violent crime, gun trafficking, and explosives, while the DEA enforces drug laws and combats criminal drug networks.
With Driscoll’s appointment, attention will likely turn to how the Justice Department moves forward with its proposed restructuring of these vital law enforcement agencies.
