FBI director Kash Patel to get another responsibility

New FBI director Kash Patel is expected to be named the acting head of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, a Justice Department official said on Saturday.

Patel could be sworn in next week, the official said, putting Patel in charge of two of the Justice Department's largest agencies in an unusual arrangement that raises questions about the future of the bureau that has long drawn the ire of conservatives.

The Justice Department official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the move before it's announced publicly. White House officials didn't immediately respond to a request for comment on Saturday evening.

Patel was sworn in on Friday as FBI director after winning Senate approval despite Democrats' concerns about the steadfast Trump ally's plans to radically overhaul the FBI.

ATF is a separate agency with about 5,500 employees and is responsible for enforcing the nation's laws around firearms, explosives and arson. Among other things, it's in charge of licensing federal firearms dealers, tracing guns used in crimes and analysing intelligence in shooting investigations.

The move was first reported on Saturday by ABC News.