ATF Chief Counsel Overseeing Gun Rule Overhaul Resigns From Post
On Friday, October 30, 2026, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) chief counsel Robert Leider announced he is resigning, stepping down amid an agency overhaul of firearms rules.[1]
The agency issued a press statement confirming his resignation and said Leider, a political appointee and former Clarence Thomas clerk, will remain at ATF until the new year.[1] ATF said he will return to teach at George Mason University's Antonin Scalia Law School in January 2027.[1]
In April 2026, the Justice Department issued an overhaul of dozens of firearms-related regulations that Leider oversaw, including a proposal to repeal the Biden-era 'engaged in the business' dealer-licensing rule.[1]
CBS News reported that President Trump directed the Justice Department not to appeal a Texas ruling on National Firearms Act regulations, a move that ran counter to advice from many DOJ attorneys.[1] A person familiar with the situation told CBS News that Leider's resignation was unrelated to that decision.[1]
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📌 Key Facts
- On Friday, October 30, 2026, ATF chief counsel Robert Leider announced he is stepping down, and ATF issued a press statement confirming his resignation.
- Leider has been overseeing an April 2026 Justice Department overhaul of dozens of firearms-related regulations, including a proposal to repeal the Biden-era 'engaged in the business' dealer-licensing rule.
- ATF said Leider, a political appointee and former Clarence Thomas clerk, will remain at the agency until the new year before returning to teach at George Mason University's Antonin Scalia Law School in January 2027.
- CBS News reports that President Trump directed DOJ not to appeal a Texas ruling on National Firearms Act regulations, a decision that disagreed with advice from many DOJ attorneys, though a source said Leider's resignation was unrelated.
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