Trump Proposes Merging ATF, DEA in Law Enforcement Overhaul (1)

May 30, 2025, 9:40 PM UTCUpdated: May 30, 2025, 10:16 PM UTC

The Trump administration is proposing to combine the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives with the Drug Enforcement Administration in what would be a dramatic overhaul in federal law enforcement, while proposing broad funding cuts across the Justice Department.

ATF, which has thousands of employees nationwide, would be “incorporated into DEA, addressing both drug and gun crimes,” according to a proposed fiscal 2026 budget document released Friday by the White House. The transition would be initiated in fiscal year 2026, the document said.

The White House also said the ATF’s resources, which are focused on illicit use of firearms ...

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