The back and forth between Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister and President-elect Donald Trump over who withdrew from the nomination first continued Wednesday.
Everything started last weekend when Trump nominated Chronister to be the new head of the Drug Enforcement Adminsitration. After calling the "honor of a lifetime" when he was nominated, Chronister changed his mind late Tuesday.
He withdrew his name from consideration for the job Tuesday evening, becoming the second person selected by the president-elect to bow out quickly after being selected for a position requiring Senate confirmation.
"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," Chronister wrote.
He did not elaborate on his decision to withdraw.
Wednesday morning, Trump fired back on his social media platform, saying he made the call to withdraw Chronister's nomination.
"He didn't pull out, I pulled him out, because I did not like what he said to my pastors and other supporters," Trump wrote on Truth Social, his social media website.
Wednesday afternoon, Chronister's office released a statement reaffirming that he made the decision to withdraw.
"Sheriff Chronister stands behind his decision to withdraw from consideration. Right now, his priority, as it has been for the last seven years, remains the mission to protect and serve everyone in Hillsborough County," said Amanda Granit, Chief Communications officer with Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.
Chronister had faced backlash from some conservatives, who raised concerns over his actions during the COVID-19 pandemic and his saying that his office "does not engage in federal immigration enforcement activities."
In March 2020, Chronister's Hillsborough County Sheriff Department arrested the pastor of a megachurch who held services with hundreds of people and violated a safer-at-home order in place aimed at limiting the spread of the coronavirus.
"Shame on this pastor, their legal staff and the leaders of this staff for forcing us to do our job. That's not what we wanted to do during a declared state of emergency," Chronister said at the time. "We are hopeful that this will be a wakeup call."
U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky, was among those airing public complaints, saying Chronister should be "disqualified" for the arrest.
Others flagged comments Chronister made in a video about Florida's immigration laws that he released in 2023 that circulated again online after Trump named him last weekend.
In the video, Chronister praised the "rich diversity" of his community and called it "a place where people from all walks of life come together."
He said it was important to note his office "does not engage in federal immigration enforcement activities. We do not target individuals based on their immigration status. That's the authority of federal agencies."
Trump has made a sweeping crackdown on immigration a central focus of his campaign and his aims for his coming administration.
Matt Gaetz, Trump's first pick to serve as attorney general, also withdrew his name for a post in the incoming administration. Gaetz dropped out after scrutiny over a federal sex trafficking investigation that cast doubt on his ability to be confirmed as the nation's chief federal law enforcement officer.
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