Trump’s pick for DEA administrator Chad Chronister withdraws from consideration

CNN
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Chad Chronister, a Florida sheriff, has withdrawn from consideration as President-elect Donald Trump’s choose to steer the Drug Enforcement Administration, he introduced Tuesday.

“Over the previous a number of days, because the gravity of this essential duty set in, I’ve concluded that I have to respectfully withdraw from consideration,” Chronister, the sheriff of Hillsborough County, posted on X.

“There may be extra work to be executed for the residents of Hillsborough County and a whole lot of initiatives I’m dedicated to fulfilling. I sincerely recognize the nomination, outpouring of assist by the American folks, and look ahead to persevering with my service as Sheriff of Hillsborough County,” he added.

The Trump transition staff declined to touch upon Tuesday. However on Wednesday, Trump mentioned in a social media publish that he pulled his assist for the choose.

“He didn’t pull out, I pulled him out, as a result of I didn’t like what he mentioned to my pastors and different supporters,” the president-elect mentioned on Reality Social.

Trump seems to be referring to a time early within the Covid-19 pandemic when Chronister arrested a Tampa-area pastor for defying a neighborhood lockdown ordinance and was essential of individuals persevering with to congregate. The announcement of Chronister as Trump’s choose had acquired backlash from the MAGA nook of the Republican Occasion, which opposed some public security measures put in place in through the pandemic.

Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky criticized Trump’s choice in a publish on X on Sunday, saying the sheriff “ought to be disqualified” over his enforcement of Covid-19 protocols. Reacting to Chronister’s withdrawal Tuesday, Massie mentioned in a separate publish that he was “glad to see him withdraw from consideration.”

There was additionally a perception amongst some allies of the president-elect that Chronister was not a real Republican, not to mention a Trump loyalist.

Chronister is the second of Trump’s picks to withdraw from being thought of for a publish within the subsequent administration. Former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz introduced final month that he’d not search the place of legal professional normal because the conservative firebrand confronted an uphill battle to be confirmed within the Senate. Trump changed him with a fellow Floridian, former state Legal professional Basic Pam Bondi, who’s from Tampa.

Trump introduced Chronister as his choose Saturday, writing in a social media publish: “As DEA Administrator, Chad will work with our nice Legal professional Basic, Pam Bondi, to safe the Border, cease the circulate of Fentanyl, and different Unlawful Medication, throughout the Southern Border, and SAVE LIVES.”

Chronister has served because the sheriff for Hillsborough County — which incorporates town of Tampa — since 2017, when he was appointed to the publish by then-Gov. Rick Scott, in line with his workplace’s web site. He has served with the sheriff’s workplace for 32 years and has been reelected twice since 2017 to function the county’s high regulation enforcement officer.

Chronister’s spouse, Nicole DeBartolo, is the daughter of former San Francisco 49ers proprietor Edward DeBartolo Jr. Throughout his first time period, Trump granted Chronister’s father-in-law a presidential pardon after he pleaded responsible in 1998 to failing to report a felony in a bribery case, which led to former Louisiana Gov. Edwin W. Edwards’ federal jail sentence. Whereas he didn’t serve jail time, Edward DeBartolo Jr. agreed to pay as much as $1 million in fines and relinquished possession of the NFL staff to his sister.

This story has been up to date Wednesday with extra particulars.

CNN’s Kristen Holmes, Steve Contorno and Maegan Vazquez contributed to this report.