Jan 17 (Reuters) - The Trump administration has abandoned its proposal to merge the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives into the Drug Enforcement Administration after opposition from gun-rights and gun-control groups, CNN reported on Saturday, citing people briefed on the matter.

The reversal comes as the White House seeks Senate confirmation for Robert Cekada, the ATF’s deputy director, to serve as permanent director, the report said.

The merger plan was part of a larger shakeup announced last year by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche to shrink federal agencies and sharply streamline the government.

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche attends a news conference at the Justice Department on November 19, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

Andrew Harnik via Getty Images

The plan would have required congressional approval and faced bipartisan backlash, as well as resistance from agency employees and opposition from both gun control and gun rights organizations.

Reuters could not immediately verify the report. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

(Reporting by Rajveer Singh Pardesi in Bengaluru; Editing by Kevin Liffey)