(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the DEA, has withdrawn from consideration amid mounting backlash over his role in enforcing Florida’s COVID-19 lockdowns.
Chronister did not reference the protests in his withdrawal announcement and instead attributed his decision to the need to remain as Hillsborough County’s sheriff.
“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,” he wrote Tuesday via X.
“There is more work to be done for the citizens of Hillsborough County and a lot of initiatives I am committed to fulfilling,” the embattled sheriff said.
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 said he “sincerely” appreciated Trump’s consideration and the “outpouring of support by the American people.”
But the support was partial and scant, with many critics pointing out Chronister’s decision to jail Pastor Dr. Ronald Howard-Browne for spreading the Gospel during church services.
Howard-Browne and Chronister, who were friends before the pastor’s arrest, have since mended their relationship, with Howard-Browne endorsing Trump’s nomination of the sheriff.
As I promised earlier, Here I am with my friend Sheriff @ChadChronister I recorded this tonight before our evening service! Please share with everyone – Thank you and God Bless! pic.twitter.com/H9b3eQVRv6
— Rodney Howard-Browne (@rhowardbrowne) December 2, 2024
At the time, however, Chronister chastised the pastor in a press release, claiming his “reckless disregard for human life” put others in danger.
Howard-Browne’s mugshot was widely circulated by legacy media outlets, seemingly as a humiliating attempt to force him and other faith leaders to fall in line with lockdowns.
Despite Trump’s praise, several Republicans and First Amendment advocates criticized Chronister’s nomination to lead the DEA.
“Glad to see him withdraw from consideration,” Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., wrote via X. “Next time politicians lose their ever-lovin minds, he can redeem himself by following the Constitution.”
The popular X page End Wokeness echoed these sentiments, posting, “Now you can go back to arresting innocent pastors and boaters.”
In contrast, Trump lauded Chronister in his announcement of the nomination earlier this week: “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.”
Tellingly, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who signed the order leading to Howard-Browne’s arrest, praised Chronister’s nomination by citing the sheriff’s efforts to remove Soros-funded prosecutors.
“When we removed Soros-backed prosecutor Andrew Warren from office, nobody supported us more strongly than Sheriff Chad Chronister,” DeSantis said. “And when the deposed Soros prosecutor ran to reclaim the office this year, Sheriff Chronister led the opposition to that candidacy and helped ensure the election of tough-on-crime prosecutor Suzy Lopez.”
DeSantis added, “I congratulate Chad on his nomination and look forward to him taking on the drug cartels on behalf of the American people.”
When we removed Soros-backed prosecutor Andrew Warren from office, nobody supported us more strongly than Sheriff Chad Chronister. And when the deposed Soros prosecutor ran to reclaim the office this year, Sheriff Chronister led the opposition to that candidacy and helped ensure…
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) December 2, 2024
