Terrance C. “Terry” Cole
Terrance C. “Terry” Cole was sworn in as Administrator of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) on July 23, 2025, following his confirmation by the United States Senate. A veteran law enforcement leader with more than 31 years of public service, Administrator Cole brings deep operational experience and a lifelong commitment to public safety.
Mr. Cole began his DEA career as a DEA Special Agent and rose through the ranks over two decades, serving in a range of domestic and international assignments including Oklahoma, New York, Washington, D.C., Colombia, Afghanistan, and the Middle East. At the time of his retirement from federal service in 2020, he was serving as DEA's Acting Regional Director for Mexico, Canada, and Central America. Before joining the DEA, Mr. Cole served as a Naval Academy Blue and Gold Officer and was a certified Police Officer in the State of New York.
From 2023 to 2025, Mr. Cole served as Virginia's Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security in Governor Youngkin’s cabinet, overseeing 11 state public safety agencies comprising more than 19,000 employees and managing an annual budget of $5.7 billion. Under his leadership, Virginia achieved a 44% reduction in overdose deaths – the largest year-over-year decrease nationwide.
Mr. Cole graduated from the Rochester Institute of Technology with a B.A. in Criminal Justice and holds certificates in Leadership from the University of Virginia and the University of Notre Dame Mendoza School of Business. Mr. Cole has also pursued continuing education at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Sloan Executive School for Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning.
As DEA Administrator, Mr. Cole oversees the agency's enforcement, intelligence, diversion control, and public outreach missions. Under his leadership, DEA is leading a renewed effort to dismantle the drug cartels and aggressively combat the global synthetic drug crisis. This effort reflects a firm recommitment to enforcement - targeting and dismantling the command structures of the Mexican cartels, disrupting chemical supply chains at their source, reducing drug-related violence in American communities, following illicit financial flows – including cryptocurrency, and expanding international and interagency partnerships. Administrator Cole is also deeply committed to workforce wellness, investing in the safety, health, and resilience of DEA employees as the foundation for mission success.
Administrator Cole is leading DEA into a new era of global enforcement – one defined by speed, strength, and an unrelenting commitment to saving lives.