Kash Patel replaced as acting director of ATF

Donald Trump had tasked Kash Patel as the acting director of the ATF after he had passed his nomination to be the director of the FBI.

Very quietly, the administration has reportedly replaced Patel in the ATF, but the person heading the agency is now also doing double duty.

Confirmed as FBI Director

When Patel was nominated as FBI Director, it shocked a lot of people because of how controversial Patel was.

Democrats hated him, with Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) stating, “I cannot imagine a worse choice.”

Plenty of Republicans also expressed concern over Patel's past comments, but he still managed to get through and was eventually confirmed as the Director.

After his confirmation, Patel stated, “The American people deserve an FBI that is transparent, accountable, and committed to justice. The politicalization [sic] of our justice system has eroded public trust — but that ends today.”

Double Duty

In February, not long after being confirmed as the Director of the FBI, Patel was tapped to take over the ATF as its acting director, an unprecedented move to have one person lead two agencies.

The agency had been under attack by Trump and Republicans to this point, with the Trump White House stating, “The Biden Administration has flagrantly sought to eliminate Second Amendment rights. Among other infringements, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) was weaponized to end the livelihoods of law-abiding small business owners in an effort to limit Americans’ ability to acquire firearms.”

Rep. Boebert (R-CO) has long attacked the ATF, adding, “I cannot imagine under any circumstance or administration where the ATF serves as an ally to the Second Amendment and law-abiding firearm owners across America.”

This baffled me because the remake of the ATF needed to start immediately, and I believed it would be far too much for one person to do as a part-time job, and it turns out, perhaps it was.

Patel Replaced

This week, reports surfaced that Patel was out at the ATF and the current Secretary of the Army, Dan Driscoll, would absorb those duties while remaining Secretary of the Army.

Patel reportedly wanted out because he wanted to focus all his time on the FBI, which makes sense, as that agency is also being overhauled.

Driscoll has a deep connection with Vice President JD Vance, having gone to law school together, as well as having served as a senior advisor to Vance.

Driscoll is a veteran, so I get the appointment as Secretary of the Army, but now I am worried he, too, will have an overflowing plate doing double duty. My hope is that Trump gets the permanent head through committee soon, as I just think this is way too much to ask of one person.