President-elect Donald Trump has suffered a setback as two of his recent cabinet nominations face intense backlash.
Trump's pick to run the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Chad Chronister, withdrew from consideration on Tuesday after backlash from Republicans over his actions during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as his previous remarks about immigration.
Chronister is the second of Trump's picks to withdraw from consideration after former Republican congressman Matt Gaetz took his name out of the ring for Attorney General following 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. Gaetz had denied any wrongdoing.
Trump's pick for Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth, could become the third of the President-elect's cabinet nominees to withdraw amid intense scrutiny he is facing over a sexual assault allegation, which he has denied, as well as allegations about his conduct in office during his time as executive director for Concerned Veterans for America (CVA) and Vets for Freedom (VFF).
Newsweek has contacted Trump's transition team, as well as Chronister and Hegseth for comment via email.
Chad Chronister
Chronister withdrew from consideration in a shock announcement on Tuesday, only three days after he was nominated.
Sheriff Chronister, the top law enforcement officer in Hillsborough County, Florida, said in a post on X that he was backing away from the opportunity, which he called "the honor of a lifetime."
"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.
Trump had tapped Chronister to be DEA administrator, a role within the Justice Department that requires Senate confirmation, over the weekend.
Trump said Saturday on Truth Social that Chronister "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."
Florida Republicans, including Governor Ron DeSantis, largely saw Chronister as a top-tier pick for Trump, but his COVID-era track record became an immediate problem. Chronister faced backlash from some in the Republican Party over his decision to arrest the pastor of a megachurch, Ronald Howard-Browne, who continued to hold services during the COVID-19 pandemic, violating lockdown restrictions, in 2020. The charges were ultimately dropped.
"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 wake-up call."
Republican Kentucky representative Thomas Massie was among those airing public complaints, saying Chronister should be "disqualified" for the arrest. "This sheriff ordered the arrest of a pastor for holding services during the COVID panic. He was tapped by Trump to head the DEA," Massie said on X. "Glad to see him withdraw from consideration. Next time politicians lose their ever-lovin minds, he can redeem himself by following the Constitution." On Fox News, Texas Congressman Chip Roy called Chronister an "authoritarian" and conservative commentator Liz Wheeler called him a "COVID tyrant."
Others criticized Chronister for remarks he made in a video about Florida's immigration law in 2023 that circulated again online after Trump nominated his as DEA Administrator 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 vowed to carry out a strict crackdown on illegal immigration, and has criticized local police jurisdictions that do not comply with federal immigration orders. These communities are sometimes known as "sanctuary cities."
However, some defended Chronister. "What disqualifies somebody? We all make mistakes throughout life, right? I haven't talked any details on that yet. But as far as someone making a mistake in their past, give us an example of anybody that hasn't made a mistake in the past," Oklahoma Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin told Fox News.
Pete Hegseth
Hegseth is under scrutiny because of multiple allegations against him. A New Yorker report published over the weekend alleged that he and other members of his management team sexually pursued the CVA's female staffers, creating a hostile workplace that ignored serious accusations of sexual assault or harassment.
It also alleged that he was intoxicated on multiple occasions during his tenure as CEO of CVA and that he drove the Vets for Freedom (VFF) organization into the ground financially during his tenure as executive director.
In a statement to the New Yorker, an adviser for Hegseth said that the claims in the report, based on interviews with whistleblowers, were "outlandish" and that they came from a "petty and jealous disgruntled former associate."
Hegseth was accused of sexual assault in 2017, which he has denied and has not been charged over. The allegation was detailed in a police report, obtained by U.S. news and media outlet Mediaite, which investigators recommended be forwarded to prosecutors for review. Hegseth paid a confidential settlement to the woman involved in the incident in 2023.
The allegation, which resurfaced this month, reportedly came as a surprise to Trump's transition team. "He has not been forthright with the Transition team staff and the president-elect and vice president-elect," a senior Trump transition source told CNN.
Hegseth's chances have hardly been helped by an email obtained by The New York Times in which his mother told him in 2018 that he was a man who "belittles, lies, cheats, sleeps around and uses women for his own power and ego." Penelope Hegseth defended her son last week, telling The Times that her characterization of his treatment of women "has never been true" and that she wrote the email "in anger, with emotion."
Despite the allegations against him, some Republicans have sought to defend Hegseth.
"He's clearly committed to making sure we have a lethal military that scares the crap out of our enemies," Florida Republican Senator Rick Scott said.
Senator Ted Cruz added: "A year from now, military recruitment numbers will have skyrocketed under Secretary Hegseth." The Texas Republican also accused Democrats of being "highly incentivized to make the confirmation hearing a spectacle" and urged the media to "have an equal amount of ink to the actual substance of the job."
Wyoming Republican Cynthia Lummis said: "We were embarrassed by our departure from Afghanistan, and we want to restore American confidence in our military," adding that "all these other issues are side issues."
But while Hegseth may have the support of some GOP senators, it may not be enough to get him through the Senate confirmation process, which could fail if just four moderate Republicans vote to sink his nomination.
When asked about how a sexual assault report might impact Hegseth's chances of serving in Trump's cabinet, North Dakota Republican Senator Kevin Cramer, a member of the Armed Services Committee, told NBC News: "It's a pretty big problem, given that we already have a sexual assault problem in our military."
He declined to say whether the allegation would influence his vote, but emphasized the importance of due process. "This is why we have background checks, hearings, and scrutiny. I'm not going to prejudge him, but it's a pretty concerning accusation," he added.
"He obviously has a chance to defend himself here. But some of this stuff is—it's going to be difficult," Senator Lindsey Graham, a longtime military veteran and South Carolina Republican, added on Tuesday.
Senator Susan Collins of Maine, who is seen as a moderate Republican, has argued that Hegseth should be submitted to the FBI for background checks.
"As I've repeatedly said to you, I believe that we need an FBI background check to evaluate the allegations," Collins told CNN on Tuesday, adding that Hegseth should complete the usual questionnaire about his background and participate in a public hearing.
On the issue of drinking, Republican Senator James Lankford of Oklahoma said he believed it was "reasonable" and "fair" to ask about allegations that Hegseth was intoxicated at work events.
"The president ... should have the ability to make decisions on who they want as their advisers. But the Senate has a constitutional role as well," Lankford said.
Senator Bill Cassidy said the allegations "have to be addressed," and emphasized the importance of a thorough vetting process for Trump's Cabinet picks. The Louisiana Republican added, "many people go through a rough period in their life."
Amid the criticism, Trump's allies involved in the transition process are now reportedly compiling a list of alternative candidates for Defense Secretary in the event Hegseth's nomination implodes, according to CNN. Senator Joni Ernst, an Iowa Republican and military veteran, as well as Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, are reportedly on the list. Republican Tennessee Senator Bill Hagerty is also being considered, CNN reported.
Hegseth is believed to be meeting with Republican senators, including Ernst, in an effort to drum up support for his nomination.
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