As President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to head the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), Hillsborough County, Florida’s sheriff, Chad Chronister, has decided to have his name taken off under consideration. Chronister clarified in a statement shared on social networking site X that the people living in his county, which includes Tampa, need “more work to be done.”
“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,” Chroniclers wrote. “I truly value the nomination, the outpouring of American support, and am excited to serve Hillsborough County going forward as Sheriff.”
Having spent more than thirty years in law enforcement, Chronister admitted that although he had an excellent background in local policing, he needed more international operational experience to supervise the DEA, which controls drug laws and regulations throughout many nations.
Why did Chronister's nomination surprise DEA agents?
Many were shocked to learn Chronister was nominated to oversee the DEA. Agents inside the company reportedly had never heard of the sheriff before his nomination. Tasked with implementing the country’s drug laws, the DEA has 91 foreign offices in 68 nations, a job well beyond that of local law enforcement.
Though surprised, Chronister said he was “the honour of a lifetime” and appreciated the nomination. But he finally determined that the post’s responsibilities were too severe to abandon his present sheriff job.
What were the main objections to Chronister's background?
After growing criticism from both conservative leaders and Trump supporters, Chronister withdrew. The way Chronister enforced pandemic-era restrictions—especially his decision in March 2020 to arrest the pastor of a Florida mega-church for hosting religious events against lockdown rules—created a significant point of conflict. Some conservatives strongly objected to his actions, like Kentucky Congressman Thomas Massie, who claimed the sheriff had “disqualified” himself for the post.
Texas Congressman Chip Roy called Chronister an “authoritarian,” while conservative journalist Liz Wheeler labeled him a “Covid tyrant” on Fox News. Chronister’s non-enforcing of federal immigration rules, which ran counter to Trump’s immigration stance, accentuated these objections.
In a 2023 video, Chronister declared, “We do not target individuals based on their immigration status. That’s the authority of federal agencies.” Chronister boldly said his agency does not collaborate with federal immigration agents. This posture put him in conflict with Trump’s strict immigration policy, which included a promise to target sanctuary cities—where local officials disobey federal immigration directives.
How might Chronister's family background influence his nomination?
Chronister’s familial background also added another level of complication to his nomination. Initially, he released a rap song about the incident titled “Slash Yo Face. ” His son had spent time behind bars for his participation in a knife fight. In the meantime, his wife is the daughter of former San Francisco 49ers NFL team owner Edward J. DeBartolo Jr. Trump granted DeBartolo a presidential pardon in 2020 for a felony bribery conviction originating in 1998.
These personal ties and Chronister’s dubious behavior during the epidemic caused mounting resistance to his nomination.
How Does Chronister's Withdrawal Affect Trump's Cabinet?
The second resignation from President-elect Trump’s second administration comes from Chronister’s choice to drop from consideration. The first came from former Congressman Matt Gaetz, who, under investigation over claims of sexual misbehavior and drug use, declared he would be withdrawing from consideration for the post of attorney general. Gaetz has regularly refuted the allegations but clarified that the debate over the probe had unfairly “became a distraction.”
Both withdrawals draw attention to Trump’s continuous difficulties in constructing his cabinet for his second term. Political and personal problems cloud essential nominees.
