The Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms (CCRKBA) today expressed strong approval of President Donald Trump’s decision to appoint Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll as the acting director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Driscoll steps into the role previously held temporarily by FBI Director Kash Patel since early February 2025.
CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb hailed the appointment as a positive step for gun owners and regulatory reform. “President Trump’s decision to appoint Acting Director Driscoll is indicative of his resolve to protect Second Amendment rights and bring much needed reform to the ATF,” Gottlieb said in a statement.
RELATED: Army Secretary Dan Driscoll Takes Over As Acting ATF Chief, Replacing Kash Patel
Gottlieb also acknowledged the demanding dual role Patel had been filling. “Mr. Patel has his hands full heading the FBI, and we’re delighted to see the president take the additional load off his shoulders and at the same time put another well-qualified individual into that position.”
While Patel’s time leading the ATF was brief, Gottlieb credited him with making a “significant impact,” specifically noting the administration’s scrapping of the prior “zero tolerance policy” targeting small-scale firearms dealers. “We all knew Patel would not be staying long at ATF,” Gottlieb commented, “but he made the most of his time while there. Now he can focus his full attention on running the FBI.”
READ: Gun Rights Group Defends Kash Patel As ATF Director, Blasts Democratic Critics
The new acting director, Daniel Driscoll, brings a background in military service and law. An Army veteran, he served as a cavalry scout platoon leader with the 10th Mountain Division during Operation Iraqi Freedom. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and graduated from Yale Law School after his military service.
His previous experience includes work for the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs and at an investment bank. Driscoll also currently serves as a senior advisor to Vice President JD Vance.
The CCRKBA expressed confidence in Driscoll’s ability to lead the agency effectively. “We’re delighted that Secretary Driscoll will also be at the ATF helm,” Gottlieb stated, “where we’re confident he will continue the administration’s effort to focus on criminals while protecting the rights of law-abiding citizens.”
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