Robert Cekada was confirmed as Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) on Wednesday afternoon and moments later began his tenure as director by rolling back and or revising numerous Biden-era gun regs.
On February 4, 2026, Breitbart News reported Cekada’s hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, where he stressed, “The ATF’s mission is not to burden lawful gun owners.”
He also told committee members that “the right to bear arms is a constitutional guarantee” that he is “committed to protecting and preserving.”
During the hearing he pledged to “follow President Trump’s Second Amendment executive order to review all ATF policies, procedures, and regulations to ensure that none of those infringe upon the Second Amendment … unnecessarily.”
Today, Cekada made good on his pledge, signing a “landmark rulemaking package” that rolls back and/or revises/modifies “several” Biden-era gun regs.
Breitbart News noted that the ATF rulemaking package completely rescinds the Biden-era pistol brace rule, and also “certain provisions of the definition of ‘engaged in the business,’” retaining the definition of “engaged in the business” as codified by Congress. The package also modernizes ATF forms, including Form 4473.
AWR Hawkins is an award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and the writer/curator of Down Range with AWR Hawkins, a weekly newsletter focused on all things Second Amendment, also for Breitbart News. He is the political analyst for Armed American Radio and the director of global marketing for Lone Star Hunts. He holds a PhD in Military History with a focus on the Vietnam War (brown water navy), U.S. Navy since Inception, the Civil War, and Early Modern Europe. He enjoys reading Philosophy and novels by Jack Carr and Nelson DeMille. Follow him on X: @awrhawkins. You can sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com.