‘Chad has fought on the frontlines of the opioid crisis,’ said Florida’s Attorney General Ashley Moody.
President-elect Donald Trump has picked another Floridian to serve in the new administration.
Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister was nominated to become the next administrator of the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) within the U.S. Department of Justice on Nov. 30.
If confirmed by the Senate, Chronister will work with the U.S. Attorney General—which will be Florida’s former Attorney General Pam Bondi, pending Senate approval—to “save lives” by stopping the flow of fentanyl and other illegal drugs while working to secure the border.
Here are several things to know about Trump’s latest pick.
Law Enforcement Background
Chronister graduated from the FBI National Academy’s 260th Session and earned a master’s degree in criminal justice from St. Leo University.
He first became sheriff by appointment, becoming then-governor, now-Sen. Rick Scott’s pick to replace Sheriff David Gee, who decided to retire. He was elected to his first full term in 2018 by the people of Hillsborough County, which includes the city of Tampa, and then won reelection again in 2020.
He was reelected a second time in 2024 after doubling down on a “tough-on-crime” position that also emphasized the safety and operational efficiency of his deputies.
Chronister threw his support behind the county’s newly-elected state attorney Suzy Lopez.
“Sheriff Chronister … helped ensure the election of tough-on-crime prosecutor Suzy Lopez. Hillsborough County is safer as a result,” Florida’s Gov. Ron DeSantis said on X on Dec. 2.
“I congratulate Chad on his nomination and look forward to him taking on the drug cartels on behalf of the American people.”
Chronister has held his position through countless hurricanes, most recently including hurricanes Helene and Milton, requiring him to conduct operations with multiple levels of law enforcement and first responders like the National Guard.
Including the president-elect, Chronister was the eighth Floridian to become a part of the incoming administration and the second from the Tampa Bay Area.
Bondi is also from Tampa, and he will be working under her if they are both confirmed.
By T.J. Muscaro
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