Hillsborough County, Florida, Sheriff Chad Chronister withdrew his name from consideration to lead the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
In a post on X, Chronister issued a statement describing it as an “honor of a lifetime” to have been selected by President-elect Donald Trump to lead the DEA. Chronister added that he had “concluded” that he should withdraw his name from consideration for the role, noting that “there is more work to be done for the citizens” in his county.
“To have been nominated by President-Elect Donald Trump to serve as Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration is the honor of a lifetime,” Chronister wrote. “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,” Chronister 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.”
In response to Trump picking Chronister to lead the DEA, several people, such as Mike Cernovich and Liz Wheeler, criticized Chronister over several policies that he enforced during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Trump’s pick for DEA head Chad Chronister withheld taxpayer money from unvaccinated deputies if they got sick,” Wheeler wrote in a post on X. “He gave taxpayer money to vaxxed deputies. Despicable.”
“Please, Pres. Trump, withdraw this nomination,” Wheeler continued. “The last thing we need in federal law enforcement is more tyranny.”
In a post on X, Cernovich shared an article in which Chronister described himself as being “the most Democratic of Republicans.”
Scott Morefield, a writer with Townhall, also noted how Chronister “was an absolute monster during” the COVID-19 pandemic.
Morefield wrote that Chronister “arrested a pastor for daring to hold a church service,” among other things.
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