Trump Selects Chad Chronister, a Florida Sheriff, to Head the DEA

Chad Chronister, the sheriff of Hillsborough County, Florida, was nominated by President-elect Donald Trump to be the administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). In a post on Truth Social on November 30, Trump stated, "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." In September 2017, Chronister was appointed Hillsborough County's senior law enforcement official. Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) appointed him to the position, and he was subsequently elected twice. The sheriff's office claims that Chronister has contributed to a decrease in crime in the area.

Chronister, a graduate of the FBI National Academy, is a member of the Florida Attorney General's Statewide Council on Human Trafficking, the chairman of the Criminal Justice Sub-Committee, and co-chairman of the Regional Domestic Security Task Force for Region IV Tampa Bay.