New FBI Director Kash Patel is expected to be named acting chief of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. A Justice Department official gave this information on Saturday. The official said, Patel can be sworn in next week.
In an unusual arrangement, Patel has been put in charge of the Justice Department’s two largest agencies. However, White House officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment Saturday evening.
The ATF is a separate agency with 5,500 employees and is responsible for enforcing the country’s laws regarding firearms, explosives and arson. It is in charge of licensing federal firearms dealers, locating guns used in crimes, and analyzing intelligence in shooting investigations.