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The nominee for the D.E.A. position has ties to Trump, but has a background in local law enforcement. Sheriff Chad Chronister, with many years of experience in Hillsborough County, Florida, may encounter various obstacles if he is approved as the agency’s administrator.
Written by Alan Feuer
President-elect Donald J. Trump selected Sheriff Chad Chronister from Hillsborough County, Florida to lead the Drug Enforcement Administration. Chronister has a strong background in local law enforcement, but lacks experience in the intricate international investigations that the agency typically handles.
Sheriff Chronister, who is 56 years old, has been employed at the sheriff’s office in the Tampa area for over three decades. Throughout his career, he has held various positions including patrol deputy, narcotics detective, and is currently serving as the department’s top official. He was initially appointed to this position in 2017 and has since been re-elected three times.
However, when Mr. Trump used social media to announce his choice for D.E.A. pick on Saturday, he praised Sheriff Chronister for his numerous commendations and awards. This led some D.E.A. agents and officials to exchange messages asking who Sheriff Chronister was.
The selection of Mr. Trump’s pick for the D.E.A. was not expected to be as high-profile or controversial as his choice for the F.B.I. leadership. The F.B.I. has been a focal point of Trump’s belief that the national security system is against him. Unlike Kash Patel, who Trump wants to lead the F.B.I., Sheriff Chronister does not seem to have been chosen to target the president-elect’s adversaries within the D.E.A.
If Sheriff Chronister is confirmed as the agency’s administrator, he will likely encounter numerous obstacles. One major challenge is the significant difference in budget size and number of employees between the D.E.A. and the department he currently oversees. Additionally, the agency operates in over 60 countries and collaborates closely with other federal law enforcement agencies and the intelligence community.
Over the weekend, a group of former D.E.A. members were researching Sheriff Chronister and questioning whether he was capable of taking on the challenges of dealing with Mexico’s drug cartels and reducing China’s fentanyl production. These tasks have become more difficult due to President Trump’s threats to impose tariffs on both countries in order to prevent drug trafficking into the United States and reduce migration.
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