WASHINGTON (Diya TV) — FBI Director Kash Patel rejected a CNN story that claims plans to sharply cut the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) staff by transferring agents to the FBI. In a memo to ATF employees, Patel characterized the report as “entirely false.”
CNN said that Patel, also acting director of the ATF, planned to shift as many as 1,000 ATF agents to the FBI, essentially reducing the number of ATF agents by over a third. The report indicated that the action would greatly reduce the ATF, an agency frequently criticized by gun rights supporters.
In reply, Patel highlighted the independence of the ATF leadership in decision-making. “Law enforcement officers don’t report to the press,” he asserted, highlighting that operational decisions are taken internally without outside interference.
Patel’s concurrent position as FBI Director and interim ATF chief is a rare setup. He was sworn in as FBI Director on February 20, 2025, and assumed the ATF position shortly afterward.
