FBI Director Kash Patel, who was appointed by Donald Trump to head the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), has reportedly been absent from his role, leaving the department in a state of disarray. Patel’s lack of involvement has left ATF staff unsure about their future and struggling to understand the direction of the agency.
A report from the Washington Post reveals that after a brief visit to ATF’s Washington headquarters, where Patel took photos, met with department leaders, and praised their work, he has not returned. Since then, there has been little to no communication from Patel with the 5,000 employees working at ATF.
According to the Post’s Perry Stein and Yvonne Wingett Sanchez, “Patel arrived at ATF’s Northeast Washington headquarters, snapped photos in the lobby, met career leaders and commended their work, according to multiple people familiar with the visit. But since then, Patel has not returned, and there appears to be scant communication between the acting director and the people who work for the 5,000-person agency.”
Patel’s absence has caused growing concern among ATF staff, who are left wondering about their roles and the future of the department. The Washington Post also reports that worries about the agency’s leadership have been building for weeks.
Although the Trump administration has been interviewing candidates to lead the agency, no permanent appointment has been made. Some sources suggest that the president may be planning to reduce or even eliminate parts of the ATF, possibly merging its most important functions, like the arson and ballistics labs, with the FBI.
