Trump DEA pick bows out just days after being nominated

On Saturday, Donald Trump tapped Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister to lead the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), an offer that Chronister initially accepted and, shortly after, celebrated with a post to social media, writing, “I am deeply humbled by this opportunity to serve our nation.” But he appears to have changed his mind.

On Tuesday, Chronister issued a new statement announcing that he’s decided to decline Trump’s offer after the “gravity” of the job set it.

“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 in a post to X.  “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. I sincerely appreciate the nomination, outpouring of support by the American people, and look forward to continuing my service as Sheriff of Hillsborough County.”

As USA Today highlights in their coverage of Chronister’s decision, this is the second Trump administration pick to withdraw, with the first being former Republican U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, who withdrew himself from consideration as  Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Justice amid sexual misconduct claims.