Sheriff Chad Chronister, who was selected by President-elect Donald Trump to head the Drug Enforcement Administration, stepped back from his candidacy for the federal position on Tuesday evening, choosing instead to continue his role as sheriff of Hillsborough County, Florida.
In a message shared via social media on Tuesday, Chronister expressed gratitude to the president-elect, referring to the nomination as an “unprecedented honor,” yet announced his decision to withdraw from consideration.
“In recent days, as the weight of this significant responsibility became apparent, I have decided to graciously remove my name from consideration,” Chronister stated. “There remains much work to accomplish for the people of Hillsborough County, along with various initiatives I am dedicated to seeing through.”
He marks the second individual among Trump’s nominees to pull out of consideration. Former Florida Representative Matt Gaetz, who was Trump’s selection for attorney general, also withdrew last month during a tumultuous period of allegations.
Trump formally nominated Chronister, a veteran with 30 years in the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, for the position on Saturday night, highlighting his “numerous commendations and accolades for maintaining safety in his community.”
The nomination received support from local politicians in Florida, including Governor Ron DeSantis, yet faced backlash from some right-leaning supporters of the president-elect.
As sheriff of one of Florida’s most populous counties, which includes the more progressive city of Tampa, Chronister has consistently positioned himself as a more centrist figure. He remarked to the Tampa Bay Times in 2019 that he considered himself “the most Democratic of Republicans.”
A focus for some conservatives has been his office’s arrest of Rodney Howard-Browne, a megachurch pastor, for conducting services during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The prosecution of Howard-Browne was dismissed months later.
“I’m going to call it as I see it. Trump’s choice for DEA chief should be disqualified for authorizing the arrest of a pastor [sic] who challenged COVID restrictions,” Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) commented in a post on X following the announcement of his nomination.
Chronister also made history by being the first sheriff in the county to attend the Tampa Pride Parade in 2018 and managed a LGBTQ Liaison program—moves that appeared progressive and garnered criticism from some conservative circles.
Representatives for the president-elect did not promptly respond to an inquiry for comment from the Daily Beast.
