Labor Secretary Resigns Amid Investigation

U.S. Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer resigned on Monday, the White House announced. Communications Director Steven Cheung stated she is leaving to take a position in the private sector. Deputy Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling will serve as acting secretary.

The resignation occurs amid an ongoing internal investigation by the Department of Labor's Office of the Inspector General into allegations of misconduct.

Announcement and Leadership Transition

The White House announced the resignation of Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer. In a statement, White House Communications Director Steven Cheung said Chavez-DeRemer "has done a phenomenal job in her role by protecting American workers, enacting fair labor practices, and helping Americans gain additional skills to improve their lives."

Deputy Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling will assume the role of acting secretary. Sonderling previously served at the Labor Department during the first Trump administration and at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission under the Biden administration.

Statements on Departure

In her own statement, Chavez-DeRemer wrote that it had "been an honor and a privilege to serve" and that she was proud of progress made to "bridge the gap between business and labor and always put the American worker first."

On social media, she characterized the allegations against her as having "been peddled by high-ranked deep state actors who have been coordinating with the one-sided news media."

Acting Secretary Keith Sonderling wrote on social media, "Thank you to President Trump for the opportunity to serve as Acting Secretary of Labor. We will keep up the fight to put American workers first."

Senator John Kennedy (R-La.) said, "I think the secretary demonstrated a lot of wisdom in resigning."

Background: The Inspector General's Investigation

Multiple news outlets have reported that Chavez-DeRemer's departure follows an investigation by the Department of Labor's Office of the Inspector General that began in January.

Reported Allegations: According to reports from sources including The New York Times and The New York Post, the inspector general has been reviewing allegations that include:

A sexual relationship with a subordinate member of her security team.
Drinking alcohol on the job or keeping alcohol in her office.
Using government resources and staff to facilitate personal travel, or planning official trips for primarily personal reasons.
Aides allegedly seeking to direct grants toward politically connected figures.
Chavez-DeRemer, her top aides, and family members sending personal messages and requests to young staff members.

Personnel Changes: At least four department officials, including two of Chavez-DeRemer's senior aides in March, have left their positions as the investigation progressed. One aide stated she was fired after giving a lengthy interview to the Office of the Inspector General.

Allegations Involving Spouse: The New York Times also reported that Chavez-DeRemer's husband was barred from the department's headquarters earlier this year after at least two female staff members alleged inappropriate touching. His lawyer rejected the claims. Washington, D.C., police and federal prosecutors closed related cases without bringing charges.

Chavez-DeRemer's lawyer previously stated she "will not comment on biased and absurd allegations against her." NPR and Al Jazeera noted they had not independently verified the contents of the investigation.

Tenure and Policy Actions

Lori Chavez-DeRemer, a former Republican congresswoman from Oregon, was confirmed as Secretary of Labor in March 2025 by a vote of 67-32. Her nomination had support from some labor unions, including the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.

During her tenure, the Labor Department undertook several policy initiatives:

The agency announced efforts to rewrite or repeal more than 60 workplace regulations it deemed obsolete. Proposed changes included eliminating a minimum wage requirement for home health care workers and reducing certain health and safety regulations in the mining industry.
The administration canceled millions of dollars in international grants administered by a Labor Department division aimed at combating child labor and slave labor.
Data from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management showed the department's workforce was nearly 25% smaller in February compared to September 2024, with staffing reductions at the Bureau of Labor Statistics prompting concern from some groups about the agency's data modernization efforts.
In August 2025, President Trump fired Erika McEntarfer, the commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Chavez-DeRemer later stated it was her job to support the president in that matter.

Administration Context

Chavez-DeRemer is the third Cabinet secretary to leave the Trump administration in recent weeks. She follows the firings of Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in March and Attorney General Pam Bondi earlier this month. All three departing officials are women.

Some Democratic lawmakers have characterized the turnover as evidence of administration instability. The Labor Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the secretary's departure.