Just when you thought the ATF couldn’t get any more bloated or aggressive, the Department of Justice says, “Hold my beer.”
The latest scheme? A proposed merger between the ATF and DEA.
That’s right—your least favorite federal gun agency might soon be fusing with the nation’s drug warriors, like some kind of bureaucratic Voltron. And gun rights groups aren’t having it.
The Second Amendment Foundation (SAF), along with GOA, CCRKBA, CRPA, and other heavy hitters, fired off a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi telling her to slam the brakes.
Why? Because giving the ATF more agents, more budget, and DEA-level surveillance powers is basically handing a toddler a chainsaw.
SAF’s Adam Kraut was highly critical. He pointed out the ATF’s greatest hits—wrongfully busting legal gun owners, tanking small FFLs with paperwork traps, and escalating situations that have turned deadly.
Now imagine all that, but with access to high-end intel tools and drug war resources. Yeah. No thanks.
The letter flat-out says the merger would “exponentially expand their reach and resources” and calls for the ATF to stay in its lane—until it can be abolished completely.
SEE ALSO: Rhode Island Passes Gun Ban!
Yes, they said it out loud.
GOA didn’t hold back either. In their press release, they called the merger a “Trojan Horse for gun control.”
According to Erich Pratt, the DEA’s militarized structure would “supercharge ATF’s war on the Second Amendment.”
Sam Paredes said what everyone’s thinking: this isn’t about efficiency—it’s about building a bigger hammer to crush gun rights.
Even a couple of senators—Lindsey Graham and Jerry Moran—jumped in to throw flags on the play. And when those two agree on something, you know it’s weird.
So, here’s the deal: the feds want to build the ultimate alphabet agency, and gun rights groups are calling B.S.
They’re warning that if we let this fusion happen, the ATF will go from obnoxious to outright terrifying. And with a future anti-gun administration? Yikes.
Bottom line: This isn’t a merger. It’s a hostile takeover—of your rights. Call your reps. Call the DOJ. And maybe start designing your “ATF-DEA Task Force” parody patches now. You’ll need the laugh.
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is a seasoned outdoorsman, lifelong hunter, and the kind of guy who’d rather track whitetails than scroll social media. As an editor for GunsAmerica, he’s got a sharp eye for spotting both solid gear and bad gun laws. Whether he’s deep in the woods or deep in editorial deadlines, Larry brings a no-nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is approach to firearms, hunting, and the great American tradition of self-reliance. If there’s a hot debate on gun rights or the latest in hunting tech, you can bet Larry’s got an opinion—and it’s probably backed up with both facts and field experience.
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Pro-2A administration? Suuuuurrre.
libertarian is to democrat as socialism is to communism.
keep going on about drugs and guns are good cupcake!
I would be far more trusting of Moran than Graham and in the same context more trusting of Bonding than Rosa DeLauro. It’s hard for me to imagine that budget cuts and a merger for the ATF would be more harmful to the 2A than letting the ATF remain as currently designated. I heard DeLauro and Bondi debate the ATF and DEA budget cuts and possible merger; I would be very interested to hear Bondi and Moran exchange views.
Let US remember that the DEA never protested the open border policy by the Biden administration where drugs poured over the US border, what was learned? Let US remember that the USMS and the FBI conducted a deadly and unnecessary raid Randy Weaver’s home, what was learned? Let US remember that the USMS and FBI initiated an extremely deadly and unnecessary raid on the Branch Davidians, what was learned? Let US remember that the ATF conducted a deadly and unnecessary raid on the home of Bryam Malinowski, what was learned?
One thing I have learned is that the left will support the most massive, deadly and unnecessary raids targeting one person but oppose a well conducted raid against a larger group. This has been going on in the US dating back to a least the Pamer Raids of 1919-1920.
they can call it “daft”