Trump's pick for DEA chief withdraws from consideration, becoming the second to turn down nomination

Chad Chronister, Donald Trump's pick to lead the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has withdrawn himself from considerationjust days after his name was announced by the incoming US president

He is the second pick of US president-elect Trump to do so.

Citing his ongoing responsibilities as sheriff of Hillsborough County, Florida, Chronister said: "There is more work to be done for the citizens of Hillsborough County and a lot of initiatives I am committed to fulfilling."

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His withdrawal comes amid mounting scrutiny of his credentials and a recent controversy that resurfaced after his nomination.

A short-lived nomination

In a statement posted to social media platform X, Chronister expressed his gratitude for the nomination, calling it "the honour of a lifetime," but said that "as the gravity of this very important responsibility set in, I've concluded that I must respectfully withdraw from consideration."

Trump had named Chronister as his pick on Saturday, touting the sheriff's decades of law enforcement experience as key to "secure the Border, stop the flow of Fentanyl, and other Illegal Drugs, across the Southern Border, and SAVE LIVES".

However, the nomination, as per reports, had raised eyebrows from the start.

Critics, including some Trump supporters, questioned whether Chronister's local law enforcement background was sufficient for leading the DEA, a federal agency with a global reach.

Furthermore, his handling of a controversial 2020 arrest of a Florida pastor who violated COVID-19 lockdown orders also became a point of controversy.

Chronister is the second Trump nominee to step aside in recent days.

Former congressional representative Matt Gaetz, Trump's initial pick for attorney general, also withdrew his candidacy amid allegations of past misconduct.

(With inputs from agencies)