The newly confirmed director of the FBI of President Donald Trump, Kash Patel is expected to assume another upper police role in the administration as head of the Office of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, according to a White House official and others two sources familiar with the plan.
Patel’s appointment could be made official as soon as next week with an oath ceremony, the sources said.
The White House did not return a request for comments.
The ATF, an agency to apply the law located in the Department of Justice, is responsible for enforcing federal laws with respect to illegal use, the sale and trafficking of firearms and explosives, as well as the illegal diversion of products of alcohol and tobacco.
It has been a frequent objective of Republican legislators who perceive that the agency violates the second amendment, particularly when former president Joe Biden trained it to regulate the sale of “ghost guns” and close a escape that relieved the process of buying a weapon of fire.
Trump at the beginning of this month signed an executive order to “stop the existing policies designed to reduce the clear right of citizens respectful of the law to maintain and carry weapons.” A launch of the White House in that order accused the ATF of unfairly pointing out the owners of arms.
“The Biden administration has flagrantly eliminated the rights of the second amendment. Among other infractions, the Office of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) was armed to end the livelihoods of small companies that are respectful of the law in an effort to limit the ability of Americans to Acquire firearms, ”said the White House statement.
In January, representative Lauren Bobert, a color Republican., And representative Eric Burlison, Republican of Mo., directed several Republicans of the House of Representatives to the introduction of legislation that would completely abolish the agency.
“I cannot imagine under any circumstance or administration where the ATF serves as an ally of the firearms owners of the second amendment and respectful of the law throughout the United States,” Boebert said in a statement.
The director of the Bajo Biden agency, Steven Dettelback, was his first permanent leader since 2015, after the previous administrations could not obtain a nominated confirmed by the Senate.
Attorney General Pam Bondi dismissed last week to the main lawyer of ATF, Pamela Hicks, after three years of service, according to a LinkedIn post shared by Hicks.
Bondi said, without evidence, that Hicks was among the leaders of the Department of Justice who were putting together the agency.
“These people pointed to arms owners. It will not happen under this administration, ”said Bondi in an interview with Fox News.
Patel, a Trump loyal, was confirmed by the Senate on Thursday to direct the FBI. Two Republican senators, Lisa Murkowski from Alaska and Susan Collins de Maine, joined all Democrats to oppose the nomination of Patel.
