Chad Chronister, President-elect Donald Trump’s appointee to lead the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), has decided to withdraw his name from consideration, citing his ongoing commitment to his role as Sheriff of Hillsborough County, Florida.
Chronister explained that there was “more work to be done” for the residents of the county, which includes the city of Tampa.
In a statement posted on X, Chronister shared, “Over the past several days, as the gravity of this very important responsibility set in, I’ve concluded that I must respectfully withdraw from consideration. I sincerely appreciate the nomination, the outpouring of support by the American people, and look forward to continuing my service as Sheriff of Hillsborough County.”
With over three decades of experience in local law enforcement, Chronister has no background in the international operations managed by the DEA, which oversees drug laws and controlled substances across 91 foreign offices in 68 countries. Some DEA agents, who spoke to the New York Times, expressed surprise upon hearing of Chronister’s nomination, stating they had never heard of him.
In his statement announcing his withdrawal, Chronister described Trump’s nomination as “the honour of a lifetime.” Trump had appointed him just three days earlier, praising him on Truth Social for his potential to secure the border and reduce illegal drug trafficking.
However, Chronister’s nomination was met with opposition from some conservative factions. Critics pointed to his enforcement of pandemic-related rules during the Covid-19 crisis. In March 2020, Chronister arrested the pastor of a Florida mega-church for holding services in violation of lockdown measures.
Congressman Thomas Massie from Kentucky argued that Chronister had “disqualified himself” for the role due to the arrest, while Texas Congressman Chip Roy referred to him as an “authoritarian.” Conservative commentator Liz Wheeler also criticized Chronister, calling him a “Covid tyrant.”
Additional controversy stemmed from a 2023 video in which Chronister highlighted the “rich diversity” of his community and stated that his office refused to collaborate with federal immigration authorities. “We do not engage in federal immigration enforcement activities,” he said in the video.
“We do not target individuals based on their immigration status. That’s the authority of federal agencies, he further stated in the video”.
This position clashed with Trump’s strict anti-immigration stance, which criticizes local jurisdictions that do not comply with federal immigration orders, often referred to as “sanctuary cities.”
Chronister also has a colourful personal background. His son served a prison sentence for his involvement in a knife fight and later wrote a rap song about it titled “Slash Yo Face.”
His wife is the daughter of a Trump donor and the former owner of the San Francisco 49ers NFL team. His father-in-law, Edward J. DeBartolo Jr., received a presidential pardon from Trump in 2020, clearing his 1998 felony bribery conviction.
Chronister’s withdrawal marks him as the second Trump nominee to step down from consideration for a role in the president-elect’s second administration.
Former Congressman Matt Gaetz of Florida also withdrew his name for the Attorney General position, citing the controversy surrounding allegations of sexual misconduct and illicit drug use as the reason for his decision. Gaetz has consistently denied the allegations, stating that the scrutiny had “unfairly become a distraction.”
(BBC)
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