Alright, let’s break this down because, wow, things are moving fast. On Monday, Kash Patel was reportedly sworn in as the acting director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and let’s just say, this is not the ATF the Biden administration left behind. Patel, a former Trump official known for his no-nonsense approach to national security and law enforcement, stepping in at the ATF is a major shift—one that’s already sending shockwaves through the agency.
And he’s not wasting any time. Just last week, Attorney General Pam Bondi fired ATF chief counsel Pamela Hicks, making it crystal clear where this administration stands on gun rights. Her reasoning? Simple: “These people were targeting gun owners. Not going to happen under this administration.” That’s about as direct as it gets.
Now, let’s rewind a bit. Under Biden, the ATF had been walking a very fine—and some would argue unconstitutional—line when it came to firearm regulations. Case in point: back in March 2023, two congressional subcommittees grilled the ATF for reversing policies that had previously protected law-abiding gun owners. Instead of going after criminals, the agency pushed rules that threatened everyday gun owners and small businesses with felony charges if they didn’t comply with new, overreaching regulations.
Republican Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA) hit the nail on the head during a hearing, calling out how the ATF’s rules disproportionately hurt law-abiding citizens while doing next to nothing to stop violent criminals. He asked firearms attorney Matthew Larosiere the obvious but often-ignored question: “Do folks that kill other people apply for permits when getting a gun?”
Larosiere’s response? A straightforward “Certainly not in my experience.” And it gets better. Perry pressed further: “Do criminals go out to their local gun shop, fill out the paperwork, and pray to the good lord they’re not found out?” Larosiere’s answer? “I think it would be odd for them to do that, so no.” In other words, these regulations were only tripping up legal gun owners while criminals—who, let’s be honest, don’t care about paperwork—carried on as usual.
Then there’s the lawsuit. In May 2024, more than 20 states sued the Biden DOJ and ATF over a rule change that redefined who must register as a federal firearms dealer. Before, only those who regularly bought and sold firearms as a business needed a license. But Biden’s ATF decided that anyone selling even a single firearm with the intent to profit could be classified as a dealer—meaning private transactions between friends or family could suddenly be felonies if they weren’t licensed and didn’t conduct background checks.
Think about that. You sell a hunting rifle to your cousin? Felony. Your neighbor wants to buy that old shotgun you don’t use anymore? Felony. It was an aggressive, sweeping rule change that, once again, didn’t touch criminals but instead put regular, law-abiding citizens in legal jeopardy. And now, the states are fighting back.
With Patel at the helm and Bondi at the DOJ, expect massive shifts in how the ATF operates. Gun rights advocates have long argued that the agency has been weaponized against lawful gun owners, and this administration appears set on dismantling those policies.
If nothing else, it’s clear that the days of the ATF being used to sidestep the Second Amendment are over. And judging by the reaction from gun control advocates, they know it too. Buckle up, because this is just the beginning.