Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister announced that he is withdrawing his name from consideration to lead the Drug Enforcement Administration as Donald Trump‘s nominee.
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In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Chronister announced his withdrawal, stating that he wanted to remain dedicated to his duties in Hillsborough. “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,” the post reads. “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,” he continued.
According to CNN, the Trump transition team did not comment on Chronister’s withdrawal. On Saturday, Trump announced Chronister’s nomination to address drug trafficking and secure the southern border. Chronister served in the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office for 32 years and became sheriff in 2017 after being appointed by then-Governor Rick Scott. He has since been re-elected twice and has led various community initiatives.
“As DEA Administrator, Chad will work with our great Attorney General, Pam Bondi, to secure the Border, stop the flow of Fentanyl, and other Illegal Drugs, across the Southern Border, and SAVE LIVES,” Trump wrote in a post.
Chronister’s withdrawal marks the second exit from Trump’s cabinet picks. Last month, former Representative Matt Gaetz also withdrew his name from consideration for the attorney general position, citing the difficulties of Senate confirmation. He has since been replaced by Pam Bondi, a former attorney general of Florida from Tampa.
