The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) came under tremendous fire from Second Amendment advocates for the past four years.

Director Steve Dettelbach’s agency was accused of targeting law-abiding gun dealers and good citizens as part of the weaponization of the federal government.

Now, The Truth About Guns (TTAG) reports that Dettelbach will step down before the Trump administration takes control on January 20.

The president-elect already vowed to change leadership at the ATF, and if the TTAG account is accurate, Dettelbach decided to jump before being pushed.

The “Guns and Gadgets” YouTube channel shared a letter purporting to be the director’s resignation.

The writing states, “Pursuant to the Memorandum for Presidential Appointees on Guidance on Letters of Resignation dated December 18, 2024, I hereby tender my resignation as Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), effective as of January 18, 2025.”

Dettelbach wrote that the position of ATF director is not controversial, but that flies in the face of current reality. Indeed, the agency has been a lightning rod of criticism and litigation from defenders of gun rights.

Opponents of more federal gun control cite onerous regulations of so-called “ghost guns,” new rules redefining pistols with stabilizer braces as short-barreled rifles, zero-tolerance policies that work to shut down upstanding firearms dealers, and overly aggressive agency tactics.

These included the shooting death of Little Rock Airport Executive Director Bryan Malinowski when the ATF carried out a no-knock warrant under highly suspicious circumstances.

Dettelbach knew well that incoming President Donald Trump plans to clean house when he returns to Washington, and it would start at the top.

Trump promised that the ATF director’s head would roll on his first day.

For just about every Second Amendment defender, Dettelbach’s last day cannot come a moment too soon. Consider the new ATF rule unveiled last April to bring virtually all private gun sales under the direct supervision of the federal government.

The new restriction required thousands of firearm dealers outside traditional brick-and-mortar locations to conduct background checks on all buyers, including gun shows and other transactions.

Fox News Digital spoke to several gun rights advocacy organizations about systematic ATF overreaches. One, National Association for Gun Rights President Dudley Brown, referenced the Arkansas tragedy in blasting the controversial federal agency.

“And as we saw in the Bryan Malinowski case in Little Rock, the ATF is willing to use outrageously excessive force—including murder—to punish violators,” Brown declared in a statement.

He added that the ATF rule brought the federal government a step closer to the anti-gunners’ dream of universal gun registration. 

The Gun Owners of America echoed similar sentiments about the ATF as currently constructed. Director of Federal Affairs Aidan Johnston slammed the agency for “weaponizing every tool in their toolbox to intimidate, harass, and criminalize gun owners with unlawful executive actions.”

In a statement, the group asserted, “The Backdoor Universal Registration Check rule is nothing more than a move to criminalize the sale of a single gun without a background check. By doing so, the government hopes to ensure that they are fully involved in every firearm transfer, and eventually, the records of all those transfers will end up in their records database.”

The ATF has a legitimate role if it abides by its limited constitutional authority. Keeping weapons out of the hands of terrorists and violent criminals is essential, but the primary mission should be to ensure Second Amendment rights are protected.

Steve Dettelbach clearly was not the leader to accomplish either goal. His replacement cannot come a moment too soon.

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