Army Secretary Dan Driscoll replaces Kash Patel as acting ATF director, officials confirm

WASHINGTON (TNND) — FBI Director Kash Patel has been replaced as the acting director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) by Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, officials confirmed to multiple news outlets.

A reason for the replacement was not immediately provided by the Trump administration. An official briefed on the situation told The New York Times that the White House decided to make the switch in late February because running two agencies was seen as too time-consuming.

Patel was sworn into the role of acting ATF director just three days after becoming the FBI's ninth director.

As of Thursday, Patel was no longer listed on the agency's website and replaced by Dan Driscoll, with his biography listed as forthcoming.

Driscoll, 38, an Iraq war veteran and former senior adviser to Vice President JD Vance, served in the Army for less than four years and left at the rank of first lieutenant.

As head of the U.S. military's largest service, he oversees dozens of major weapons, aircraft and equipment programs worth billions of dollars and is responsible for an Army budget of more than $187 billion.

A defense official confirmed Driscoll will remain secretary of the Army while working with the ATF.

The ATF, which falls under the umbrella of the Department of Justice, investigates and prevents federal offenses involving firearms, explosives, arson and the illegal trafficking of alcohol and tobacco products.