Donald Trump's nominee to lead the Drug Enforcement Administration has withdrawn from consideration after losing support from the president-elect.

Hillsborough County sheriff Chad Chronister did not give a reason for ending his bid, but it came after he faced backlash for arresting a priest during COVID. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the development was his decision.

Chronister is one of several Trump nominees to hail from Florida. Trump's original nominee for attorney general, former Florida congressman Matt Gaetz, withdrew after facing backlash over sexual misconduct allegations. Trump then nominated longtime ally Pam Bondi, the former attorney general of Florida, to lead the Justice Department.

Nominee involved in arrest

When nominating Chronister, Trump, who campaigned on securing the border, said Chronister would "stop the flow of Fentanyl, and other Illegal Drugs" into the nation's interior.

"As DEA Administrator, Chad 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," Trump stated.

But Chronister's nomination faced opposition from conservatives like congressman Thomas Massie (R-KY) and pundit Liz Wheeler, who pointed to his role in enforcing COVID lockdowns.

In March of 2020, Chronister arrested Tampa Bay megachurch pastor Rodney Howard-Browne for holding "unlawful" church services. The charges were later dropped.

"Shame on this pastor, their legal staff, and the leaders of this church for forcing us to do our job," Chronister said at the time. "That's not what we wanted to do during a declared state of emergency."

Trump sets the record straight

After Chronister withdrew, Trump explained that he "did not like what he said to my pastors and other supporters" in a post criticizing coverage from The Wall Street Journal.

"Today’s main headline is: 'Trump’s DEA Pick Pulls Out In Latest Setback.' With all that’s happening in the World, this is their Number One story of the day," he wrote.

"Besides, he didn’t pull out, I pulled him out, because I did not like what he said to my pastors and other supporters," Trump said.

"But, more importantly, what’s my “latest” setback??? I just won the Presidency of the United States! They haven’t written a good story about me in YEARS. Somebody over there ought to look at what they’re doing. The only one worse than them is stupid, China-centric Forbes Magazine!"

In his own statement, Chronister was vague about the reasons for his withdrawal.

"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 said in his post.

In the eyes of many, Chronister's role in enforcing draconian pandemic restrictions is disqualifying. At a time when cool heads needed to prevail, he got swept up in the mob mentality and became a participant in tyranny.