Additional Coverage:
Newly appointed FBI Director Kash Patel is set to lead the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), according to sources. This announcement comes just a day after Patel’s Senate confirmation as the ninth FBI director.
Former FBI Director Christopher Wray resigned at the close of former President Biden’s term. Attorney General Pam Bondi subsequently dismissed ATF Chief Counsel Pamela Hicks.
Hicks confirmed her termination via LinkedIn, stating she was officially notified by the Attorney General. She had served as chief counsel since 2021 under the Biden administration and previously as deputy chief counsel during the Trump administration. Her tenure with the Department of Justice spanned 23 years.
Bondi commented on the ATF dismissals, stating her administration would not tolerate targeting gun owners.
Both the FBI and ATF fall under the Department of Justice.