A New ATF Director Is Nominated - Will He Get Confirmed?

In this episode, we explore President Trump’s nomination of longtime law-enforcement veteran Robert Cekada to lead the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. We break down Cekada’s extensive background inside the ATF, the response from gun-rights organizations, and the potential impact of his leadership on the agency’s future. We also look at the historical challenges that have made confirming an ATF director one of the most politically difficult appointments in Washington — including decades of stalled nominations, lobbying pressure, and long stretches without a Senate-confirmed leader. This episode gives listeners clear context, deep analysis, and a grounded understanding of why this nomination matters and what it could mean for firearms policy, enforcement, and national security moving forward.

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Transcript

0:14

Well, welcome to the Live to Shoot podcast. My name is Jeff Dole and I've been a licensed firearm dealer for the last 18 years. And this podcast we talk about all things related to Second Amendment, as well as anything else going in the world sports story or anything else I might. Fine. Interesting. So welcome, welcome, welcome. This is a week before Thanksgiving. This is my favorite time of year. I love this time. We've already got our lights up or decorations up. I love to start celebrating. Christmas in particular, but I also love the Thanksgiving time of year just being together with family and spending time together. So I hope you all have great plans. I will probably just do a, a special episode next week and we'll you'll see what that is as we get a little closer to Thanksgiving, but welcome, welcome, welcome, welcome. So news today. Is that the administration President Trump has nominated Robert cic to be the next director of the bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives. So let's get into this and explore his his nomination, why it's significant and what it could possibly mean, so. November 18th, just a few days ago, Trump officially sent his Robert Cicada's nomination to the Congress to become the next a TF director. Currently, he serves as the deputy director of the A TF position. He's held since April, 2025. His nomination does mark a notable shift according to multiple parts. He's seen as a more traditional. Career law enforcement pick not just a political loyalist. So let's look into a little bit deeper into cicada's background. So his law enforcement career, he started, before joining the A TF, he worked for the New York Police Department. Starting in 1992, he served in the housing Bureau, the Citywide Anti-Gang Enforcement Unit and the Organized Crime Bureau. He later served in the plantation Florida Police Department, including working on a SWAT team. He joined the A TF in 2005 as a special agent in the, florida Baltimore Field office. I'm sorry. And he's risen through the ranks and he's been a special agent in charge in both Miami and Baltimore. He's the deputy director over our Central region 19 states and executive Assistant director for operations As the deputy director, he oversees major A TF divisions, including the regulatory field, operations and intelligence. From his official bio, he's also involved in the National Crime Gun Intelligence Governing Board and the IACP Firearms Committee. So his nomination has, you know, drawn you know, strong support from gun rights and the fire, fire firearms industry who prioritize a trusted law enforcement. Veteran approach. So in SSF, the National Shootings sports Foundation praised his experience. They said he respects the Second Amendment and views the firearm industry, not as an adversary, but as a valuable partner. The American Suppressor Association also welcomed the pick. Its President Knox Williams said that cicada's leadership would give law abiding governors a seat at the table and the City Citizens Committee for the right to keep and bear arms echoed similar symptoms. They welcomed what they called his Pro Second Amendment views and highlighted his decades of a TF experience from a government leadership perspective. His appointment continues a broader shakeup at the A TF under the Trauma Administration. In recent New Months, several top a TF leadership roles have been reshaped. So why might this nomination be important? Well, his institutional knowledge, he's not an outsider. He has decades of experience in the a TF political signaling. By selecting someone who, with deep law enforcement roots, rather than purely a political pick, Trump may be aiming to pressure both gun right advocates in those worried about a TF overreach and regulatory implications. Given his support for major firearm organization, his leadership could mean a regulatory approach favorable to gun owners while still enforcing firearm laws. Confirmation risk. Even though many in the gun rights community support him, his confirmation is not guaranteed. The ATF role is a politically contentious one, and his confirmation will have to go through the s Senate Judiciary Committee. Implications. If he's confirmed for gun owners, there may be more trust in a TF enforcement. For law enforcement, his deep operational background means he could emphasize crime gun intelligence and use ATFs enforcement ca capacity in targeted ways for the firearm industry. Regulatory relationships might improve, and for policy, his directorship could influence how a TF prioritizes resource, maybe putting less emphasis on paperwork enforcement and more on criminal investigations or outreach. So let's hope so. Some questions out there, some common questions. Wasn't he already at in a top role at the A TF? Yeah, he's been a deputy director since April, 2025, which is the second highest role in the agency. You know, what is the Pro Amendment people think? Well, we've already talked about that. There seems to, seems to be favorable across the industry. He does have field experience. And what about non-gun groups or critics? Is there opposition? There hasn't been anything deeply covered yet. I haven't seen anybody like every town or, you know any of those come out yet in terms of opposition. But we'll have to wait as we get a little closer to this confirmation. There is going to be a challenge with this confirmation. The, before, you know, it's important to understand that, that the confirming, confirming the A TF director is is difficult. Before 2006, A TF directors were simply appointed by the president, but with the 2006 reauthorization of the Patriot Act, Congress added provision requiring Senate confirmation of a TF Directors. Ironically, that same group has been playing a big role in resisting these nominations. There have been very few confirmed directors. Todd Jones was confirmed in 2013 after a really growing experience. And then for years the A TF went without any Senate confirmed leader relying on active directors. Deba, who we are not a fan of, was confirmed in 2022 by just a narrow margin of 48 46 with Senate, pretty much voting along party lines. So. This could be a you know, a big, that might be seen as a bridge since he is not a political appointee, he is more of a operational leader. So maybe the the left will, favoring we'll just have to wait to see. So hopefully, you know, from what I'm hearing, you know and this, that always can change as, as we dig deeper in people's background. But he seems to be a pretty solid pick to lead the A TF. He has extensive law enforcement background, which, you know, honestly, that's what the a TF is. They should be, they should be going after the bad guys and not after legal firearms, you know, citizens. And trying to restrict our, our second amendment rights. They should just be going after the bad guy. Maybe having somebody in law enforcement and not some kind of political, with an agenda person in there running it will get the ATF shifted more in that direction. Time will only tell you never know what happens when people get have power. So. Thank you for listening. We're gonna keep following up, but we'll track how this confirmation goes. Not sure when he'll get in front of the Senate. I mean, the Senate has not been running, moving very fast and nominating any of the nominations. We've got judges out there still waiting to be nominated. So it could be a while, but hopefully we can get him across the finish line here pretty soon. So take care if you haven't subscribed, subscribe, like, give this a review. That always helps with that old, nasty algorithm. And, you know, have a great weekend and I will be talking to you soon.