Leadership Change at ATF: Kash Patel Steps Down

Recent reports indicate that Kash Patel has been removed from his position as acting Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll stepping in as his replacement. The news was first reported by Reuters before any official announcement from the Justice Department. Patel, who was sworn in as FBI Director on February 21 and subsequently appointed as acting ATF director shortly after, will continue his leadership role at the FBI.

A Justice Department official spoke to NBC News about the transition, stating that the decision "had nothing to do with his job performance." Meanwhile, various media outlets have offered differing explanations for the change. The Daily Beast suggested Patel's absence from ATF facilities "for weeks" may have contributed to the decision. Glenn Thrush of The New York Times attributed the removal to Patel's significant responsibilities at the FBI, while Fox News Digital cited a source claiming that Patel himself requested to step down to concentrate on his FBI duties.

"It was never supposed to be a long-term thing. He was happy to serve, of course, but his job is the director of the FBI," according to the source familiar with the situation.

The leadership change comes at a noteworthy time, as senior Justice Department officials are reportedly considering a potential merger between the ATF and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) as part of efforts to streamline government operations and reduce spending.

Sources close to the matter indicate that Driscoll will maintain his current position as US Army Secretary while taking on the ATF role—an unusual arrangement, though perhaps no more unprecedented than Patel's simultaneous leadership of two major Justice Department agencies.

Driscoll brings military experience to the position, having served nearly four years in the Army as an armor officer and cavalry scout platoon leader with the 10th Mountain Division between 2007 and 2011. His service included a nine-month deployment to Iraq in 2009. After retiring as a first lieutenant, Driscoll earned a law degree from Yale University and built a career in private equity and venture capital before entering government service.