White House withdraws nominee to head ATF after GOP concerns over views on gun rights

The White House has withdrawn its nominee to head the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives several months after Republicans voiced concern over the candidate's track record on gun rights.

Chuck Canterbury, previously the president of the Fraternal Order of Police, faced opposition from Republican members of the Senate Judiciary Committee in July due to the FOP's historical support of gun control policies. Canterbury dodged questions from Republican senators over those matters.

He was criticized at the time by Judiciary Committee members, including Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy, who told him the senators were "entitled to know both morally and legally what you believe" about gun control. 

The White House announced on Tuesday that it was withdrawing Canterbury from the nomination process. The police official had actually been re-nominated by Trump in February after efforts stalled last year.

He had not run for re-election as president of the FOP due to his nomination; he has since been succeeded in that role.