The Trump administration has unveiled a plan to merge the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) with the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), worrying many in the gun community that it will expand the power and resources of the ATF to be weaponized against the Second Amendment community.
Gun Owners of America (GOA) uncovered the proposed merger during its review of the DEA’s 2026 budget proposal. The budget proposes merging the two agencies to help fight against narco-cartels that will be designated foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs) by the federal government. President Donald Trump has proposed going after Mexican drug cartels by using the FTO tag. The FTO designation would allow the federal government to access military powers and other resources against the narco-terrorist organizations that it is otherwise forbidden from using.
The budget reads: “To most successfully, effectively, and efficiently continue the fight to eradicate the designated cartel FTOs and seek to eliminate violent crime, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) will be incorporated into DEA, addressing both drug and gun crime. This transition will be initiated in FY 2026 and achieve efficiencies in resources and case deconfliction.”
BREAKING
The White House just officially proposed merging ATF & DEA. Just imagine:
3x ATF budget
4x ATF tactical units
+10,000 new employees
reduced oversight & accountabilityMerging is NOT abolishing, it’s a DANGEROUS Trojan Horse. pic.twitter.com/yBYr2FooA5
— Gun Owners of America (@GunOwners) May 30, 2025
The merger is concerning for some in the gun community. The ATF has a history of abusing its authority to fight a war on the constitutionally protected right to keep and bear arms. If the merger occurs, the ATF’s budget will be expanded by a massive 300%. The Bureau will have 400% more tactical units at its disposal. These units are similar to those tactical units used at the controversial sieges at Waco and Ruby Ridge. The ATF will also have access to an additional 10,000 employees.
Instead of reigning in the ATF, the merger could expand the Bureau’s power with even less oversight than before.
The intentions of the Trump administration might be to use the combined powers of both organizations to stop the flow of fentanyl into the country from Mexico, but there is no guarantee this new super agency will not be weaponized by the government against the law-abiding American gun owner when the political pendulum swings back in favor of the Democrats. Under the previous administration, the ATF was used to crack down on the right to bear arms by everyday Americans, and there is no evidence that shows that the newly merged organization will not be used in the future in a similar manner by an anti-gun presidential administration.
Many in the Second Amendment community would prefer the ATF to be dismantled entirely. If the ATF is merged with the DEA, the goal of abolishing the Bureau will almost certainly become harder, if not impossible. This new merger will put up a roadblock to a goal that the pro-gun community is closer than ever to achieving.
Earlier this year, President Trump issued an executive order to protect the Second Amendment; however, this new proposal appears to do the opposite. Some believe that President Trump has been misled about the potential adverse outcomes of a merger between the ATF and DEA. Others believe that Trump isn’t serious about protecting the Second Amendment.
About John Crump
Mr. Crump is an NRA instructor and a constitutional activist. John has written about firearms, interviewed people from all walks of life, and on the Constitution. John lives in Northern Virginia with his wife and sons, follow him on X at @crumpyss, or at www.crumpy.com.
The gestapo by any other name is still the gestapo. A rose by any other name still smells like a rose, a cr@p by any other name still smells like cr@p. You don’t see any arrests or deaths related to the “A” or “T” on their web site only under the “F” do you find arrests and murders. Until the “good people” at the atf get prosecuted and jailed for their crimes nothing is going to change. These people are anti constitutional marxist who commit treason and tyranny against their sworn oath and the American citizenry every day. Rolling them… Read more »
Hey, look at the bright side. Maybe, JUST MAYBE, they’ll find the Fast & Furious weapons they trafficked south of the border.
“Some believe that President Trump has been misled about the potential adverse outcomes of a merger between the ATF and DEA. Others believe that Trump isn’t serious about protecting the Second Amendment.”
That latter statement is true. Then again, trust no one “in office”. They all have their own agenda.
Dismantle both agencies and return the authority and the money to the many states where the effort belongs. We have far too many federal criminal statutes. The states are the primary means of criminal law enforcement and need to be. Simply give big, beautiful grants to border states and let them deal with the problem.
Look up “ Palantir” that is already in use by BICE and is expanding significantly under the direction of POTUS then combine it with this new agency and the FBI and you’ll know exactly where this administration and all the future ones stand.
Trump is NOT pro 2A. And neither is the GOP. Period.
We don’t need any expansion of federal cops. We have a military for the FTOs and an FBI for limited federal jurisdiction. States should run the rest.
The Trump administration has come up with many good ideas. This is not one of them.
I think this is a very bad idea. One needs only to look at George W. Bush’s gift that keeps on giving, Homeland Security, to see how this proposed merger is an extremely short sided plan.
There’s more effective ways to deal with the bad hombres in the cartels without establishing yet more infringements and increased taxpayer obligations and most likely more innocent deaths.
Colossally bad idea. Now more innocent people and dogs are going to get murdered.
Shut both down. These are state issues, and most aren’t actual crimes. Fed gov has no place sticking its nose in these issues, nor Constitutional authority.