On Tuesday, Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister reportedly made the announcement that he was withdrawing from consideration to become the administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in the administration of President-elect Donald Trump.
“To have been nominated by President-Elect [Trump] to serve as Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration is the honor of a lifetime,” Chronister said.
“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. There is more work to be done for the citizens of Hillsborough County and a lot of initiatives I am committed to fulfilling.” he continued.
“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 concluded.
To have been nominated by President-Elect @realDonaldTrump to serve as Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration is the honor of a lifetime. Over the past several days, as the gravity of this very important responsibility set in, I’ve concluded that I must respectfully… pic.twitter.com/bvNF8m9Bh4
— Chad Chronister (@ChadChronister) December 3, 2024
Chronister was named by the then-Governor of Florida, Rick Scott, to be the top law enforcement official in Hillsborough County in 2017.
Trump made the announcement on Saturday that he has nominated Chronister to become the head of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
In the statement, Trump praised the sheriff for his awards and his record of service.
Chronister, on the other hand, was met with opposition from a number of conservatives regarding a variety of issues.
One of these issues was the arrest of Florida pastor Rodney Howard-Browne in 2020 for allegedly disobeying social distancing orders during the COVID pandemic, pressuring his deputies to get the jab, and releasing 164 inmates in an effort to reduce the risk of spreading COVID within the prison system.
In response to opposition from members of the Republican Party and the House Ethics Committee’s review of whether or not to release a report on allegations of sexual misconduct, another of Trump’s picks, now-former Representative Matt Gaetz (R-Florida), withdrew from consideration to become the United States Attorney General last month.
The claims have been refuted by Gaetz. After that, Trump chose Pam Bondi, who had previously served as the Attorney General of Florida, to fill the position.
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