New York GOP Rep. Anthony D\u2019Esposito is making a play for a job in the incoming Trump administration: the next head of the Drug Enforcement Administration.<\/p>\n

After losing a reelection bid for his competitive Long Island district, D’Esposito is working to consolidate support from regional law enforcement unions, in addition to calling key players in Trump\u2019s orbit, according to a person with direct knowledge of the matter.<\/p>\n

\u201cPresident Trump has a mandate from the people of this country to Make America Safe Again, and I would be honored to lend my experience as a decorated NYPD Detective and member of the House Homeland Security Committee to assist President Trump in that mission,\u201d D\u2019Esposito said in a statement.<\/p>\n

News of the effort comes just a day after Trump\u2019s initial pick to lead the DEA, Chad Chronister, announced he was withdrawing from consideration<\/a>, just days after being named as the nominee. He said he chose to step back from the process \u201cas the gravity of this very important responsibility set in,\u201d while noting that he wished to continue his present work as a sheriff in Florida. Trump, for his part, posted on Truth Social that<\/a> he pulled Chronister out of the running, citing remarks he made to supporters.<\/p>\n

Allies of D\u2019Esposito are now pushing him as the next best alternative, leaning on his New York Police Department detective credentials to make the case that he is the right person to help address the flow of illegal drugs coming into the U.S.<\/p>\n

\u201c@realDonaldTrump should nominate @RepDesposito a highly decorated @NYPDDetectives & proven crime fighter as @DEAHQ Administrator. As a respected member of Congress, D\u2019Esposito has demonstrated leadership & commitment needed to help DJT in his goal of Making America Safe Again,\u201d the Nassau County Detectives Association posted on X on Wednesday<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The centrist New Yorker had flipped a blue seat last cycle, and often carefully tried to toe the line between juggling the demands of a swing district while not alienating Trump and his supporters. But he ultimately lost his Long Island seat to Democratic challenger Laura Gillen.<\/p>\n

D\u2019Esposito was among the House Republicans who led the ultimately successful push to expel George Santos from Congress over various ethics violations. Santos has since pleaded guilty to committing wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. But D\u2019Esposito later faced controversies of his own, with The New York Times releasing a report weeks before<\/a> Election Day that detailed allegations of an affair and that D\u2019Esposito was employing his mistress and his fiancee\u2019s daughter. He has denied he violated House ethics rules.<\/p>\n

D\u2019Esposito is also one of several Republicans<\/a> who aren\u2019t returning to the House next year now seeking jobs in the administration.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"