Attorney General Pam Bondi went toe-to-toe with a top House Democrat on Monday regarding a plan to merge the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives with the Drug Enforcement Agency, and the cuts that are likely to result.
Bondi testified in front of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies on the Department of Justice’s budget request for the 2026 fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1.
Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., the purple-haired ranking member of the full Appropriations Committee, challenged Bondi on the budget request that proposes a 25.7% cut to ATF from the previous fiscal year, and how it will impact ATF’s ability “to help our state and local law enforcement fight illegal gun trafficking?”
The DOJ has requested approximately $1.2 billion for the ATF for FY 2026, down from $1.625 billion the previous fiscal year. It would lead to a reduction of 1,465 positions, including 186 agents.
“How many ATF law enforcement officers and industry operations investigators do you anticipate will be lost to attrition as a result of the funding reduction you are proposing?” DeLauro asked Bondi, pounding her finger on her desk.
“You are proposing a 26% cut to ATF for fiscal year 2026, as well as a 4.4% cut to DEA. … You have got a 34% cut to the high intensity drug trafficking area’s program, no dedicated money at all for the organized crime drug enforcement task force.
“So, my view, fair to say, the Trump administration proposal shortchanges federal efforts to stop illegal gun trafficking and federal efforts to stop the flow of dangerous illegal drugs like fentanyl.”
Bondi then responded, “as I was attempting to answer your question very calmly, unlike you,” before DeLauro again interrupted and said, “excuse me, madam attorney general, answer yes or no. Tell me what the numbers are. I don’t want to hear your filibustering about this. Go ahead. Please. Tell us the numbers.”
Said Bondi: “We are reorganizing. ATF agents want to be out on the street working with DEA agents.”
DeLauro again interrupted, “OK, let me answer the question for you,” before Chair Harold Rogers hit his gavel and said, “the witness has answered the question.”
DeLauro shot back, “Mr. Chairman, you give me a certain amount of time, and I have a high respect for you, but I don’t have to listen, nor do my colleagues have to listen to a filibuster when it’s a simple question.”
DeLauro proceeded to quote from the DOJ request regarding personnel cuts through attrition before stating, “If the capacity to regulate [the] firearms industry is reduced by 40%, if you are losing 186 ATF law enforcement agents on top of that, it is clear … the proposal will weaken our ability to stop gun trafficking and it will greatly reduce ATF support for state and local law enforcement that helps them prevent and solve violent crimes. It’s a bad proposal.”
Said Bondi: “Do you want to hear my answer in 3 seconds? You mentioned regulatory functions. We will not be having ATF agents go to the doors of gun owners in the middle of the night asking them about their guns. Period.
“They will be out on the streets with DEA, guns and drugs. It will be attrition. We are not firing agents who will be working with DEA.”
DeLauro then tried to interrupt before Bondi finished by saying, “Can I tell you they want to be out on the streets? They want to be doing their jobs.
“They want to be seizing guns. We’re putting them on the streets. They want to be working with DEA. We will be efficient.”
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