Can DOGE Defund the ATF?

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), spearheaded by the Trump administration with backing from figures like Elon Musk, has been making waves in Washington, cutting wasteful government spending at a pace the media can barely keep up with.

According to Gun Owners of America’s (GOA) Tiffany Coutris, DOGE has already taken a scalpel to bloated bureaucracies like the IRS, and many Second Amendment advocates are now hoping it turns its attention to one of the most controversial federal agencies of all: the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).

A Waste of Taxpayer Dollars?

Meanwhile, Dudley Brown of the National Association for Gun Rights (NAGR) argues that the ATF has been guzzling billions in taxpayer dollars while continuously expanding its regulatory reach. Brown and his organization are pushing for DOGE to take a serious look at the ATF’s budget, potentially leading to massive cuts or even defunding efforts. The big question remains – can DOGE actually defund the ATF, or is it an agency too deeply embedded in federal law to be dismantled?

A Bloated Budget and an Unchecked Expansion

For years, the ATF has seen its budget skyrocket. Brown notes that in 2020, the agency operated with a budget of $1.4 billion, which ballooned to $1.73 billion just three years later. Now, for fiscal year 2026, the ATF is requesting an even larger budget of $1.95 billion. This steady increase in funding has fueled concerns among gun rights advocates who see the agency as a weaponized bureaucracy targeting law-abiding gun owners rather than violent criminals.

Brown argues that the ATF’s steady expansion is an insult to American taxpayers. He points out that the agency has openly bragged about skirting congressional authority by redefining regulatory terminology to implement restrictions without legislative approval. Former acting ATF Director Marvin Richardson even admitted that the agency has used bureaucratic maneuvering to “redefine terminology” instead of changing statutes, a tactic that critics say allows the ATF to impose new restrictions without congressional oversight.

DOGE’s Strategy: Where It Can Hit the ATF Hardest

While outright abolishing the ATF remains a long shot due to its status as a law enforcement agency established under the Homeland Security Act of 2003, DOGE still has tools at its disposal. Brown explains that DOGE’s approach is simple – if an agency wastes taxpayer money, it gets slashed. The ATF, with its history of budget inflation, could be a prime target.

Coutris supports this argument by pointing to past ATF financial scandals. In 2023, whistleblowers revealed that the agency had falsely classified dozens of employees as law enforcement officers to boost their paychecks, costing taxpayers tens of millions of dollars. Coutris argues that DOGE should conduct a full audit of the ATF, exposing these financial abuses and making a strong case for slashing its budget.

ATF’s History of Financial and Operational Failures

Beyond payroll fraud, the ATF has been riddled with high-profile failures that further fuel the argument for its defunding. Coutris highlights a particularly damning example – ATF agents losing track of over $1.5 million worth of firearms to drug cartels along the southern border. If that weren’t bad enough, thousands of firearms marked for destruction were instead stolen from the ATF itself due to poor internal security measures.

Mishandling of Firearm Disposal operations

Even the Department of Justice’s Office of Inspector General issued a scathing report exposing the ATF’s mishandling of its firearm disposal operations. According to Coutris, DOGE could target these operational failures as part of a broader effort to justify massive funding cuts. If an agency entrusted with regulating firearms can’t even keep track of its own inventory, how can it be trusted with expanded authority over American gun owners?

The ATF’s Secret Registry—A Huge Waste of Taxpayer Dollars

One of the most egregious violations of both federal law and fiscal responsibility, according to Coutris, is the ATF’s illegal firearm registry. Federal law under the Firearm Owners Protection Act (FOPA) of 1986 explicitly prohibits the government from maintaining a national gun registry. Yet, evidence shows that the ATF has been amassing a database of gun owners and their firearms under the guise of tracking out-of-business records.

Coutris explains that the ATF spends millions of taxpayer dollars digitizing and maintaining these records, with employees scanning firearm transaction documents 16 hours a day. Despite claims that the database isn’t searchable, gun rights advocates argue that this is a blatant loophole being exploited to create a de facto registry. If DOGE were to step in, cutting off funding for this operation alone could deliver a serious blow to the ATF’s ability to expand its control over American gun owners.

Can Trump’s Deregulation Efforts Starve the ATF?

While DOGE itself may not have the legal authority to eliminate the ATF, Trump’s broader deregulation policies could help neutralize it. Brown points to Trump’s “10-to-1 Deregulation Initiative,” which requires agencies to eliminate ten existing regulations for every new one they introduce. If enforced, this policy could cripple the ATF’s ability to impose new gun control measures, effectively paralyzing the agency from within.

Brown acknowledges that resistance from entrenched ATF officials is inevitable, but argues that a sustained effort by DOGE, combined with congressional pressure, could gradually reduce the ATF’s influence. If Congress refuses to approve the agency’s requested budget increase, the ATF could be forced to scale back its enforcement operations, limiting its ability to impose new firearm restrictions.

The White House’s Role in the ATF’s Future

Trump’s White House has already taken steps to weaken the ATF. Brown notes that the administration shut down Biden’s Office of Gun Violence Prevention, a move that signaled a shift away from executive-driven gun control policies. However, dismantling an executive office is far easier than cutting the ATF’s budget, which requires congressional approval.

Despite these challenges, Brown remains optimistic that the ATF’s influence can be reduced. He emphasizes that Trump’s pick for ATF director will play a critical role in determining the agency’s future. If a pro-Second Amendment director is confirmed, they could request a drastically reduced budget for 2026, potentially gutting the agency from within.

Public Support: A Key Factor in Defunding Efforts

Both Brown and Coutris stress the importance of public involvement in the fight against the ATF. Brown urges Second Amendment supporters to sign petitions and contact their representatives, demanding that Congress reject the ATF’s budget increase. Meanwhile, Coutris argues that media coverage and grassroots activism will be crucial in keeping pressure on Washington to address the agency’s corruption and waste.

Public outrage over ATF scandals, combined with the cost-cutting efforts of DOGE, could create the perfect storm for significant budget cuts. While full defunding may not be realistic in the near future, reducing the ATF’s budget and limiting its regulatory power is a fight that many gun rights advocates believe is well within reach.

Can DOGE Deliver a Knockout Blow?

The ATF has long been a thorn in the side of gun owners, and now, with DOGE targeting wasteful government spending, its future looks uncertain. Brown and Coutris both argue that a full-scale audit of the agency’s finances, combined with legislative efforts to cut its budget, could seriously weaken its ability to enforce gun control measures.

While outright abolishment remains difficult due to congressional protections, the prospect of a significantly reduced ATF is more realistic than ever. If DOGE continues its aggressive campaign against government waste, it may just find the ATF to be one of the most deserving agencies on its chopping block.