The Justice Department unexpectedly booted Kash Patel from his unusual dual role as FBI Director and temporary ATF chief in February 2025. Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll swooped in to take the ATF reins, adding to his already full plate of managing 5,200 employees and a $1.6 billion operation. The administration played it cool, calling it a “standard, short-term move,” but Washington insiders aren’t buying that story. There’s more to this power shuffle than meets the eye.
Kash Patel’s brief tenure as the nation’s top gun cop came to an abrupt end in late February 2025, just days after he took the helm at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The move marked a surprisingly quick exit for Patel, who had barely warmed his seat at the ATF while simultaneously serving as FBI Director – talk about a guy who likes to multitask.
The Justice Department stayed oddly quiet about Patel’s removal. His face lingered on the ATF website until April 7, like that awkward Facebook photo that stays up way too long after a breakup. Officials insisted the shuffle wasn’t performance-related, just a “standard, short-term move.” Right.
Enter Daniel Driscoll, the Army Secretary who apparently didn’t have enough on his plate managing 450,000 soldiers and a $187 billion budget. Now he’s running the ATF too, overseeing its 5,200 employees and $1.6 billion operation focused on gun crime investigations. Because who doesn’t love a good side hustle? The administration is exploring merging ATF with DEA as a potential cost-saving measure.
Daniel Driscoll juggles Army Secretary duties with ATF leadership, because apparently managing billions in defense spending wasn’t challenging enough.
Driscoll, a former Army officer and Iraq veteran, brings his military expertise to the role. He’s also tight with Vice President JD Vance, having served as his advisor. The White House positioned the appointment as temporary while awaiting Senate confirmations, though nobody’s saying exactly how long “temporary” might be. Attorney General Pam Bondi has established a Second Amendment task force involving ATF personnel.
The whole situation raised eyebrows across Washington. Patel’s unprecedented dual FBI-ATF leadership had already stirred controversy, and Driscoll’s appointment only added to the intrigue. Critics scratched their heads over the timing, but concrete explanations remained elusive.
Despite the leadership musical chairs, ATF operations continue as usual. The agency soldiers on with its mission, even as its organizational chart resembles a game of administrative Tetris. One thing’s clear: in the world of federal law enforcement leadership, nothing’s quite as permanent as a temporary appointment.
