Keith Lusher 07.09.25
The Division of Justice has introduced plans to dramatically cut back oversight of federally licensed firearms sellers, chopping two-thirds of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives inspectors who monitor gun shops throughout the nation.
In keeping with funds paperwork lately circulated, the DOJ intends to eradicate 541 of the 811 Trade Operations Investigators at the moment chargeable for making certain Federal Firearms Licensees adjust to gun legal guidelines. These investigators monitor sellers to forestall straw purchases, unlawful trafficking, and gross sales to prohibited individuals.
The cuts are a part of the Trump administration’s broader effort to scale back the ATF’s $1.6 billion funds by almost one-third. Officers estimate the workforce discount will lower the company’s capability to control firearms and explosives industries by roughly 40 p.c when the brand new fiscal yr begins in November.
The inspector positions being eradicated will save taxpayers an estimated $82 million particularly from decreased regulatory inspections. Extra cuts to 470 different ATF positions by attrition will save one other $354 million, bringing complete financial savings to $468 million in accordance with the 2026 funds proposal.
At the moment, solely a small share of the roughly 100,000 sellers, collectors, and producers below ATF oversight obtain inspections in any given yr.
Gun rights advocates have welcomed the information, significantly after the Biden administration’s “zero-tolerance” coverage compelled tons of of FFLs out of enterprise for minor paperwork violations. Consultant Eric Burlison of Missouri praised the cuts, telling The Washington Examiner that a lot of the ATF’s work includes “making everybody who needs to personal a firearm make our lives depressing” slightly than specializing in real public security.
Nonetheless, gun management organizations strongly criticized the proposal. John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Security, referred to as the cuts “devastating” and argued they might “undermine ATF’s capacity to maintain communities protected from gun violence.” He characterised the funds as “a win for unscrupulous gun sellers and a horrible setback for ATF’s state and native legislation enforcement companions,” in accordance with The New York Instances.
The inspector cuts come alongside different vital adjustments to federal gun coverage. The administration has already rolled again Biden-era laws on selfmade firearms and is contemplating extra regulatory reversals. Legal professional Common Pam Bondi has directed the ATF to evaluate and rethink each the pistol brace ban and background examine necessities for personal gun gross sales.
Maybe most importantly, the funds proposal additionally consists of plans to merge the ATF with the Drug Enforcement Administration. This consolidation has drawn criticism from gun rights teams like Gun House owners of America, which warned that merging would create a bigger, extra highly effective company slightly than really decreasing federal oversight.
The ATF has skilled appreciable turbulence below the brand new administration. President Trump initially appointed FBI Director Kash Patel as interim ATF director earlier than naming Daniel Driscoll, who additionally serves as Secretary of the Military, to guide the company.
Company workers members, talking anonymously resulting from worry of retaliation, expressed shock on the scope of the deliberate cuts. They warned that the reductions may successfully finish the ATF’s function as a severe firearms regulator if not reversed by the White Home or Congress.
The Justice Division declined to offer extra touch upon the workforce discount plans.
