FBI Director Kash Patel has been quietly removed as the acting director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives after he stopped showing up to facilities there, according to a report.
Patel, who remains in his FBI role, had not been “seen inside an ATF facility for weeks” and has been replaced by the U.S. Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll, sources told NBC News. Driscoll will reportedly continue working in both roles.
Glenn Thrush, a New York Times reporter based in Washington, called the hush-hush swap of Patel for Driscoll “unusual.” He later reported the change was because Patel’s “plate was too full” at the FBI. A Department of Justice official confirmed to Reuters on Wednesday that the change occurred.
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NBC reported that workers at the bureau were “shocked and confused” by Patel’s removal. The network said an exact reason for the change is unknown, but it “had nothing to do with job performance.”
Patel, 45, was was sworn in as ATF’s acting director on Feb. 24, just days after he was sworn in as FBI director.
The nature of the FBI’s work makes it harder to gauge how busy Patel is behind the scenes, but he has gotten around a bit. He was dolled up in a camouflage vest, gray windbreaker, large gray sunglasses, and a matching camo baseball hat for a photo op last month that he proudly posted to X.
“I am 1000% behind this FBI,” he said.
Patel also found time on Friday to pop over to D.C.’s Capital One Arena to watch Alex Ovechkin tie Wayne Gretzky’s record for most goals in NHL history. He was photographed in the owner’s box chatting with Gretzky.
News of Patel’s ATF departure came a day after NBC News reported his No. 2 at the FBI, the ex-MAGA podcaster Dan Bongino, had requested a security detail of as many as 20 FBI agents to protect him around the clock. His predecessors had no security detail.
Patel’s name and headshot were still on ATF’s website—which still listed him as acting director—as of 1:45 p.m. Wednesday. He was also called out by name by Attorney General Pam Bondi on Monday when she ordered him to review Joe Biden’s ban on pistol braces in his role of ATF’s acting director.
The abrupt leadership change comes at a time senior DOJ officials are weighing whether to merge the ATF with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration to save on costs, Reuters reported.
Thrush reported Driscoll was not notified of the swap until “VERY recently,” adding that he was picked because he was already confirmed by the Senate.
