AG Bondi Fires ATF Chief Council

Pamela Hicks, the former chief legal counsel for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF), was dismissed from her position by Attorney General Pam Bondi on Thursday, as confirmed by Hicks herself in a social media post.

In a statement shared on LinkedIn, Hicks revealed, "Earlier today, I received official notice from the Attorney General of the United States that I was being removed from my role as Chief Counsel of ATF and that my employment with the Department of Justice was terminated." Hicks, who had been with the Department of Justice (DOJ) for 23 years, served as ATF’s chief counsel since 2021 under the Biden administration and previously held the role of deputy chief counsel during Donald Trump’s first term.

"Being ATF Chief Counsel has been the greatest honor of my career, and collaborating with the incredible individuals at ATF and across the Department has been a privilege," Hicks wrote. She expressed gratitude to her colleagues for their support and camaraderie over the years.

A source close to the matter disclosed that Hicks was escorted out of the ATF building following her termination. When approached for comment, ATF stated, "ATF respects the rights of all our employees. As a general policy, ATF does not comment on personnel matters, including specific personnel issues, actions, or ongoing investigations."

Hicks’ dismissal is part of a broader wave of departures and terminations among senior DOJ officials in recent weeks. In February, at least seven federal prosecutors resigned after the Trump administration dropped corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. Additionally, Trump recently called for the removal of all remaining Biden-appointed U.S. attorneys, declaring on Truth Social, "I have instructed the termination of ALL remaining 'Biden Era' U.S. Attorneys. We must ‘clean house’ IMMEDIATELY and restore confidence. America’s Golden Age must have a fair Justice System—THAT BEGINS TODAY!"

Bondi, who was confirmed as the 87th Attorney General on February 5, addressed the state of the DOJ during an appearance at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) near Washington, D.C., on Thursday. Speaking with Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) on his podcast, Verdict, Bondi expressed deep concern over the extent of political weaponization within the department under the previous administration.

"What concerned me the most? It’s the sheer volume of how bad it was—and still is," Bondi said. "We’re addressing it day by day, but we’ve assembled a strong team. On my first day, I issued 14 executive orders, with the first being that the weaponization ends now. And that’s exactly what we’re doing."

Bondi admitted that the DOJ’s condition was worse than she had anticipated, particularly its departure from its core mission of combating violent crime. "Look at what they did to President Trump. Look at the weaponization," she added.

The ATF, originally part of the Department of Treasury, was transferred to the DOJ in 2003 under the Homeland Security Act. This move was part of a broader reorganization of federal agencies to strengthen the nation’s counterterrorism efforts following the September 11 attacks.