RICHMOND, VA – Governor Glenn Youngkin congratulated Virginia’s Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security Terry Cole following the announcement by President Donald J. Trump selecting him to lead the Drug Enforcement Administration.

“This is a great pick by President Trump. As Virginia’s Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security, Terry Cole has done an outstanding job keeping Virginians safe, fighting fentanyl, human trafficking and illegal immigration,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin. “His leadership of our Operation FREE initiative in Virginia resulted in the seizure of tens of thousands of pounds of illicit drugs—including more than 70 million lethal doses of fentanyl—and has become a standard for collaboration between federal, state and local law enforcement. He will put the safety and security of Americans first as head of the DEA. It’s a great day to be an American and a bad day to be a drug dealer.”

Terrance C. “Terry” Cole joined the Youngkin Administration with over 28 years of law enforcement experience and success, 22 years of which with the federal Drug Enforcement Administration. During his tenure with the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Terry advanced through the ranks, including tours in Oklahoma, New York, Texas, and Washington D.C., as well as foreign assignments in Colombia, Afghanistan, Mexico, and the Middle East. Before joining the DEA, Terry also served as a Naval Academy Blue and Gold Officer.