Trump's pick to run the DEA withdraws name from consideration

WASHINGTON (TNND) — President-elect Donald Trump's pick to run the Drug Enforcement Administration is withdrawing his name from consideration.

On Tuesday, Chad Chronister, the current Hillsborough County, Florida sheriff, announced that he "must respectfully withdraw from consideration."

In a social media post on X, Chronister called the nomination by Trump "the honor of a lifetime."

There is more work to be done for the citizens of Hillsborough County and a lot of initiatives I am committed to fulfilling. I sincerely appreciate the nomination, outpouring of support by the American people, and look forward to continuing my service as Sheriff of Hillsborough County," Chronister wrote.

Trump nominated Chronister on Nov. 30, describing him as someone who would help "to secure the Border, stop the flow of Fentanyl, and other Illegal Drugs, across the Southern Border, and SAVE LIVES."

Chronister is now the second person chosen by Trump, after his first attorney general pick and former Congressman Matt Gaetz, to quickly withdraw after being nominated.

Trump's pick for DEA drew backlash from conservatives, who raised concerns over Chronister's actions during the pandemic and his saying that his office "does not engage in federal immigration enforcement activities."

In March 2020, Chronister arrested the pastor of a megachurch who held services with hundreds of people and violated a safer-at-home order in place aimed at limiting the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

Others flagged comments Chronister made in a video about Florida’s immigration laws that he released in 2023 that circulated again online after Trump named him last weekend.

In the video, Chronister praised the “rich diversity” of his community and called it “a place where people from all walks of life come together.”

He said it was important to note his office “does not engage in federal immigration enforcement activities. We do not target individuals based on their immigration status. That’s the authority of federal agencies.”

________________

The Associated Press contributed to this report.