Chad Chronister, chosen by US President-elect Donald Trump to lead the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), has withdrawn his name from consideration. Florida Sheriff Chronister is the second Trump nominee to step down after the nomination, following former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, who has withdrawn his nomination for attorney general.
Mr Chronister, who currently serves as sheriff in Hillsborough County, Florida, said on Tuesday that “more work remains to be done” for the people who live there.
“Over the past several days, due to the gravity of this extremely important responsibility, I have concluded that I must respectfully withdraw from consideration,” he wrote in a post on X.
Nominated by the President-Elect @realdonaldtrump Serving as Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration is the honor of a lifetime. Over the past several days, as the gravity of this extremely important responsibility has dawned on me, I have concluded that I must respectfully… pic.twitter.com/bvNF8m9Bh4
– Chad Chronister (@ChadChronister) 3 December 2024
“I sincerely appreciate the nomination, the support of the American people, and look forward to continuing to serve as Sheriff of Hillsborough County,” the sheriff said.
The Trump transition team did not immediately issue a statement on the issue.
The president-elect announced his intention on Sunday to nominate Mr. Chronister to lead the DEA, saying he would focus on stemming the flow of fentanyl across the U.S. border with Mexico. The DEA is part of the Justice Department and is responsible for enforcing US drug laws.
However, his nomination was viewed critically by Mr Trump’s supporters, who cited a sheriff’s arrest of a Florida pastor for violating COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020. Mr. Chronister, who has spent more than three decades working in law enforcement, also appeared. According to a Reuters report, he lacks extensive experience suitable for the DEA role.
Mr. Chronister was first appointed as county sheriff in 2017 by then-Florida Gov. Rick Scott. He then successfully ran for election for this role. Mr. Chronister reportedly had overlap in office with Pam Bondi, incoming President Trump’s choice for attorney general, when she was a state prosecutor.
His withdrawal follows a similar move by former Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz, Trump’s first choice for attorney general. Mr. Gaetz dropped out of consideration due to concerns about his past conduct. However, he denied any wrongdoing and described the investigation as “discredited”.
