Chad Chronister, President Donald Trump’s nominee to head the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), said Tuesday he was withdrawing from consideration.
“Having felt the weight of this very important responsibility over the past few days, I have come to the conclusion that I must respectfully decline consideration,” Florida Sheriff Chronister said in a social media post. Ta.
President Trump on Sunday announced his intention to nominate Chronister, the current sheriff of Hillsborough County, Florida, to head the DEA, saying he would focus on stopping fentanyl from crossing the border with Mexico. This agency is part of the Department of Justice and is responsible for enforcing drug laws in the United States.
Chronister did not provide details about his decision on social media, and President Trump’s transition team did not respond to requests for comment.
Chronister follows in the footsteps of former Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz, Trump’s first nominee for attorney general, who withdrew his nomination to the administration post. Gates withdrew following intense scrutiny over a federal sex trafficking investigation that called into question his ability to be confirmed as the top federal law enforcement official.
President Trump’s selection of Chronister for the DEA post prompted a backlash from conservatives, who criticized Chronister’s actions during the COVID-19 pandemic and his office’s “federal immigration enforcement” role. “I am not engaged in any activities,” he said, expressing concern.
In March 2020, Chronister arrested a megachurch pastor who held services for hundreds of people, violating a safer-at-home order meant to limit the spread of the coronavirus.
“Shame on this pastor, the legal staff, and the leadership of this staff for forcing us to do the work. That’s not what we wanted to do during the state of emergency,” Chronister said at the time. “We hope this is a wake-up call.”
U.S. Rep. Thomas Massey of Kentucky was among those to publicly make the accusations, saying Chronister should be “disqualified” from arrest.
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President Trump’s transition team announced on Tuesday that it had reached an agreement with the Justice Department that would allow for background checks and name submissions needed to gain access to classified information.
