Chad Chronister Describes His First Meeting With His Wife As "Love at First Sight"
Chad Chronister and his current wife, Nicole, have been married since 2010.
Published Dec. 5 2024, 5:06 p.m. ET
On Dec. 3, 2024, Sheriff Chad Chronister announced he was withdrawing his name from consideration to head the Drug Enforcement Administration. His decision came just three days after receiving the nomination.
Before we explore the reasons behind his decision to withdraw, let's get to know more about Chad Chronister. Here's everything you need to know, including details about his family, such as his wife and kids.
Who is Chad Chronister's wife?
As it turns out, Chad Chronister has been married three times. His first marriage was to Teresa Card in 1992, but they divorced in 1995.
Two years later, he married Tammy Edwards, though they got divorced in 1999. According to the Tampa Bay Times, Chad and Tammy had an on-and-off relationship before eventually going their separate ways for good.
In 2010, Chad married Nicole "Nikki" DeBartolo, the daughter of former San Francisco 49ers owner Edward J. DeBartolo Jr. The couple had known each other for years, with their first meeting dating back to 2000.
At the time, Chad, who was a detective, volunteered to help provide security for the DeBartolo family. When Chad first saw Nikki, he described it as "love at first sight."
Over the years, Chad grew close to Nikki and her family. He even waited at the hospital when she gave birth to her son, Asher.
At the time, Nikki was married to Benjamin Heldfond, a member of a wealthy California family. They divorced in 2008.
Shortly after their split, Chad and Nikki shared their first kiss during a friendly outing. She initially told him she wasn't ready for a relationship, but by December 2008, Nikki called Chad and they realized they wanted to be together.
Just months later, Chad proposed, enlisting Asher to help him present Nikki with a nearly six-karat ring. They were married in 2010 at the Ritz-Carlton Palm Beach, with over 200 guests in attendance.
Chad Chronister has two kids.
During his marriage to Teresa Card, Chad became a father to a son, George Zachary, in 1993. Later, Chad became the father of Nikki's son, Asher.
After Chad and Teresa divorced, their son, who goes by Zack, primarily lived with his mother. While Chad had visitation rights, he has spoken about the difficulty he faced in spending time with his son.
In 2017, Zack was arrested for stabbing another man in the face, claiming he acted in self-defense. In 2018, he was sentenced to 22 months in prison, followed by three years of probation upon his release.
A motion to terminate his probation was later filed, and in April 2022, after the serving state attorney recused himself due to a conflict of interest, Governor Ron DeSantis temporarily assigned a different state attorney to handle the case.
Why did Chad Chronister withdraw as Trump's nominee to run the DEA?
On Nov. 30, 2024, President-elect Donald Trump announced his intention to nominate Chad Chronister as administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). However, just three days later, on Dec. 3, 2024, Chronister withdrew his name from consideration.
In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), Chad explained that "the gravity of this very important responsibility set in," and led him to reconsider the nomination.
"There is more work to be done for the citizens of Hillsborough County and a lot of initiatives I am committed to fulfilling," he wrote. "I sincerely appreciate the nomination, outpouring of support by the American people, and look forward to continuing my service as Sheriff of Hillsborough County."
But on Dec. 4, Trump claimed via Truth Social, his social media platform, that he had made the decision for Chad to step down: "He didn't pull out, I pulled him out because I did not like what he said to my pastors and other supporters."
