Trump Names Robert Cekada as His Pick to Lead the ATF ~ VIDEOS

Robert Cekada Offical Picture IMG ATF

President Donald Trump has formally named veteran ATF official Robert Cekada as his nominee to function Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The transfer marks one other main shift contained in the company after Trump’s return to the White Home and the speedy unwinding of a number of Biden-era gun insurance policies.

Cekada’s nomination was formally despatched to the Senate on November 18 and referred to the Judiciary Committee for consideration. In accordance with the congressional file, Trump nominated him “to be Director, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, vice Steven M. Dettelbach, resigned.”

A Acquainted Face Contained in the ATF—However Not a Typical Trump Outsider

In contrast to a few of Trump’s latest division picks, Cekada will not be an outsider. He’s spent 20 years inside ATF, rising by the ranks after serving within the NYPD and the Plantation, Florida, Police Division, together with time in anti-gang items and SWAT.

He started his ATF profession in Hyattsville, Maryland, engaged on the Regional Space Gang Enforcement Process Drive earlier than transferring to Tampa and later headquarters. Over the previous decade, he has climbed by ATF’s most necessary command positions, finally changing into Govt Assistant Director of Operations after which Deputy Director—the company’s quantity two place.

His background stands in sharp distinction to controversial figures like David Chipman, the previous gun-control advocate President Biden tried and failed to put in as ATF Director. Cekada is seen by many within the gun world as a profession law-enforcement skilled, not a political activist.

Sturdy Backing From the Firearms Business

Cekada’s choice has already earned excessive reward from the Nationwide Taking pictures Sports activities Basis, the commerce group representing firearm producers, retailers, and ranges. The NSSF’s senior vice chairman and common counsel, Lawrence G. Keane, stated in April that:

“Deputy Director Cekada has the expertise, knowledge and respect of his colleagues to successfully lead the women and men of the ATF.”

Keane additionally emphasised that Cekada “respects the Second Modification and understands that the firearm business will not be the ‘enemy’ however a beneficial associate” in preventing violent crime. Keane famous that retailers are “on the entrance traces” of stopping unlawful straw purchases and that Cekada has a protracted historical past of working instantly with business professionals to maintain authorized gun homeowners in compliance with the legislation.

Cekada has additionally been deeply concerned in long-running partnership applications with NSSF, together with Don’t Lie for the Different Man™, which warns the general public in regards to the penalties for straw buying, and Operation Safe Retailer®, which helps retailers cut back theft and housebreaking.

“In his function as Deputy Director, we now have labored intently with Robert Cekada to make sure law-abiding gun homeowners have a seat on the desk in shaping coverage,” stated Knox Williams, President and Govt Director of the American Suppressor Affiliation.

“If confirmed, he can be the primary ever really pro-Second Modification nominee to go the company. By nominating an ATF Director who understands our neighborhood and respects our constitutional rights, President Trump and his administration are additional underscoring their dedication to standing up for the Second Modification and gun homeowners. We urge the Senate to substantiate him immediately.”

Not Everybody Agrees

Undoing the Biden-Period ATF

Cekada’s rise comes at a second of huge change contained in the ATF. After Biden’s Director Steve Dettelbach resigned forward of removing, the company went by a number of performing leaders—first FBI Director Kash Patel, then Military Secretary Dan Driscoll—earlier than Cekada took over operations as Deputy Director.

Sources accustomed to inner ATF operations instructed The Reload that Cekada performed a serious function in ending the ATF’s controversial “zero tolerance” coverage. That Biden coverage aggressively revoked FFLs over minor clerical errors—one thing that had by no means been thought-about felony or willful conduct. In accordance with ATF truth sheets, 2023 noticed 157 revoked licenses. In 2024 that quantity grew to 195, with greater than 1,480 FFLs selecting to give up their license totally slightly than battle ATF’s near-automatic revocation course of.

NSSF described these years as “devastating” to lawful sellers, noting that ATF inspectors started treating fundamental paperwork errors like lacking dates or transposed serial numbers as trigger for shutting down whole small companies.

With Trump again in workplace, the Division of Justice confirmed that the pistol-brace ban is not going to be appealed after a court docket struck it down for violating the Administrative Process Act. ATF is anticipated to additionally roll again Biden’s “engaged within the enterprise” rule that handled strange non-public sellers as unlicensed gun sellers.

On the similar time, Cekada has been working alongside ATF’s newly appointed chief counsel Robert Leider, a former George Mason College constitutional scholar recognized for Second Modification experience. The 2 have been rewriting inner guidelines and reversing a number of Biden-era interpretations—progress slowed solely briefly by the autumn 2025 authorities shutdown.

Stress From Congress & the Shutdown Fallout

Cekada enters this affirmation battle simply weeks after the ATF confronted intense strain from Home Republicans throughout the federal government shutdown. As a result of Senate Democrats blocked a funding invoice, the shutdown furloughed your entire NFA Division, successfully freezing the approval of suppressors, SBRs, and different NFA-regulated firearms.

A coalition of 26 Home Republicans blasted ATF management in a letter, arguing that halting NFA processing “unconstitutionally infringes” on People’ rights. Gun Homeowners of America’s Erich Pratt stated:

“Gun Homeowners of America believes that the NFA is an infringement that ought to be repealed, and ATF’s refusal to facilitate the lawful buy and switch of NFA firearms solely proves the purpose.”

The strain labored. In accordance with reporting from AmmoLand Information, the ATF recalled all NFA examiners and anticipated to clear the backlog inside 7 to 10 days.

Senate Democrats Anticipated to Combat the Nomination

Whereas Republicans are more likely to help Cekada, particularly with NSSF’s endorsement, Senate Democrats could assault him for serving to dismantle Biden’s regulatory agenda. They could additionally increase previous ATF controversies, together with the case of Patrick “Tate” Adamiak—a Virginia man sentenced over possession of historic navy objects that specialists argued weren’t truly unlawful.

Democrats could attempt to body the rollback of Biden’s guidelines as a step backward. However supporters argue that returning ATF to a conventional law-enforcement function—and ending the political focusing on of gun sellers—is strictly what Congress supposed.

A New Path for a As soon as-Weaponized Company

Cekada isn’t a flashy political decide. He’s not a gun-control activist. He’s a profession cop who spent many years chasing violent criminals, not gun-store clerks who forgot to fill in a date field.

For a lot of gun homeowners, that’s the entire level.

He steps into the highlight at a time when the ATF desperately wants rebuilding. The harm executed by the zero-tolerance period—tons of of revoked licenses, hundreds extra surrendered, and a gun business handled as an enemy—left deep mistrust.

With Trump reversing Biden’s guidelines and putting in management that understands each legislation enforcement and constitutional rights, the pro-gun neighborhood sees a uncommon alternative for actual reform. As The Reload put it, Cekada “has already demonstrated a willingness to be a change agent on the ATF.”