Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer is leaving Trump’s Cabinet

Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer has resigned from President Donald Trump’s Cabinet following multiple allegations of misconduct, the White House announced Monday. Her departure marks the third Cabinet-level exit in Trump’s administration this year, following the dismissals of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in March and Attorney General Pam Bondi earlier this month.

White House communications director Steven Cheung announced the resignation on social media platform X, stating that Chavez-DeRemer “will be leaving the Administration to take a position in the private sector.” He praised her tenure, claiming she had done “a phenomenal job” protecting American workers and implementing fair labor practices. Keith Sonderling, the current deputy labor secretary, will serve as acting secretary.

Unlike previous Cabinet departures announced directly by President Trump on his social media accounts, Chavez-DeRemer’s exit was communicated through a White House aide, suggesting a potentially different circumstance surrounding her departure.

The resignation follows mounting allegations against Chavez-DeRemer that first surfaced in January. The Labor Department’s inspector general had been investigating claims that she maintained an inappropriate relationship with a subordinate and consumed alcohol while performing official duties.

A New York Times report published last Wednesday detailed how Chavez-DeRemer, her top aides, and family members routinely sent personal messages to young staff members. The report indicated that her husband and father exchanged text messages with young female staffers, some of whom were instructed by the secretary and her former deputy chief of staff to “pay attention” to her family members.

The misconduct investigation expanded after the New York Post reported in January about a complaint filed with the Labor Department’s inspector general accusing Chavez-DeRemer of having a relationship with a subordinate. Additional allegations emerged that she tasked aides with planning official trips primarily for personal reasons.

The mounting controversy has already claimed several careers within the department. At least four Labor Department officials have been forced from their positions as the investigation progressed, including Chavez-DeRemer’s former chief of staff, deputy chief of staff, and a member of her security detail with whom she was allegedly involved romantically.

Senator John Kennedy (R-La.) remarked on Monday that “the secretary demonstrated a lot of wisdom in resigning.”

Chavez-DeRemer, a former House Republican who represented a swing district in Oregon, was confirmed to Trump’s Cabinet in March 2025 with a 67-32 vote. Her appointment was notable for garnering unusual support from unions despite her Republican affiliation. She had lost her re-election bid to Congress in November 2024 before joining the administration.

During her single term in Congress, Chavez-DeRemer supported legislation to facilitate unionization at the federal level and worked on a bill aimed at protecting Social Security benefits for public-sector employees. As the daughter of a Teamster, she received backing from some prominent labor unions, including the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, when nominated for Labor Secretary. Political analysts viewed her selection as Trump’s attempt to appeal to union-affiliated voters.

However, some labor leaders expressed skepticism about her appointment, questioning whether she could maintain a pro-union stance within a Republican administration that had previously dismissed thousands of federal employees.

Despite maintaining a relatively low profile compared to other Cabinet members, Chavez-DeRemer played a significant role in advancing the administration’s deregulatory agenda. Under her leadership, the Labor Department moved to rewrite or repeal more than 60 workplace regulations deemed obsolete by the administration.

These rollbacks included minimum wage requirements for home health care workers and people with disabilities, along with rules governing exposure to harmful substances and safety procedures in mines. The Labor Department also proposed eliminating requirements for adequate lighting at construction sites and seat belts for agricultural workers in employer-provided transportation.

Additionally, during her tenure, the administration canceled millions of dollars in international grants administered by the Labor Department to combat child and slave labor worldwide, effectively ending programs that had helped reduce global child labor by 78 million over two decades.

The Labor Department oversees critical workforce functions, including reporting unemployment rates, regulating workplace safety standards, investigating wage disputes, and enforcing laws related to union organizing and employment termination.