The Steady State Raises Alarm Over

Today The Steady State, a coalition of more than 250 former national security, intelligence, and diplomatic professionals, released a letter to congressional leadership expressing grave concern over the Administration’s decision to appoint the sitting Secretary of the Army to concurrently serve as Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

This unprecedented move raises significant constitutional, legal, and institutional red flags. The Steady State urges congressional committees to conduct immediate oversight of the decision and its long-term implications for civil-military relations, separation of powers, and the independence of law enforcement.

“Even in times of crisis, our nation has avoided placing military leaders atop civilian enforcement agencies — until now… [t]his dual-hatting breaks with both precedent and principle. It blurs the vital lines that separate national defense from domestic policing and weakens public trust in the integrity of both institutions.”

The letter outlines three core concerns:

• The erosion of civil-military norms, violating the longstanding principle of military neutrality in domestic affairs.

• Conflicts of interest, as both positions require undivided attention and serve fundamentally different missions.

• The absence of transparency and precedent, which demands congressional inquiry to prevent this from becoming a dangerous norm.

The Steady State has called on the House and Senate Intelligence and Judiciary Committees to immediately seek clarification from the Executive Branch, conduct ethics and legal reviews, and consider legislative remedies to preserve institutional independence. The full letter is available HERE