Watch: Biden's ATF Nominee David Chipman Tells Ted Cruz He Supports AR-15 Gun Ban

David Chipman, who was tapped by President Joe Biden to lead the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), told lawmakers Wednesday that he supports a ban on AR-15 assault rifles.

Appearing before a Senate panel for his confirmation hearing, Chipman faced criticism from Republican senators about his previous remarks advocating for gun control.

"The AR-15 is one of, if not the most popular rifle in America. It's not a machine gun, it's a rifle," Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said. "Your public position is that you want to ban AR-15s, is that correct?"