Justice Department names new acting DEA chief: report

The Justice Department said on Tuesday it had named Robert Patterson to temporarily head the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Reuters reported. 

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Patterson, the former principal deputy administrator for the DEA, was appointed to fill the position when Chuck Rosenberg stepped down. Patterson has worked in the DEA for nearly 30 years, beginning his career in the agency’s New York division in 1988. 

Rosenberg was an appointee of Barack Obama and had been serving as acting administrator since 2015. Before leading the DEA, Rosenberg served as the chief of staff for former FBI director James Comey. 

It’s still unclear who the White House will name as permanent head of DEA.